


The Hellhound's Secret

by Twix3780



Series: Kali Briar [2]
Category: Power Rangers Mystic Force, Power Rangers Ninja Storm
Genre: Blended timelines, Canon-Typical Violence, Crimson Ranger nearly kills Hellhound, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Quotev, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Dangerous Actions that may result in Injury, Evil Rangers, F/M, Good vs Evil, Hellhound Abducted, Hunter and Blake kidnap the Hellhound, Kali seeks the help of the Mystics, Mentions Power Rangers Operation Overdrive, Mentions of Myth & Folklore, Mentions other Power Rangers seasons/Teams, Mistmatched timelines, Original Character(s), Power Rangers Mystic Force - Freeform, Power Rangers Ninja Storm - Freeform, Rangers Disappeared, Sequel to "The Hellhound's Return", Threats of Violence, Thunder Rangers, Thunder Rangers Return, canon/OC Pairings, divide and conquer, lone ranger - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:06:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 88,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25019755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twix3780/pseuds/Twix3780
Summary: Since learning the truth, Kali has faced many challenges. It's been almost six weeks since she and the other Mystics' destroyed the Master and united the human and magical realms. But when a banished evil Ninja returns to Earth seeking revenge, Kali is thrust into another battle. But this fight is different from any she has fought before.
Relationships: Blake Bradley & Hunter Bradley & Dustin Brooks & Shane Clarke & Tori Hanson & Cameron "Cam" Watanabe, Blake Bradley/Tori Hanson, Cameron Watanabe & Kali Briar (OFC), Dustin Brooks & Shane Clarke & Tori Hanson & Cameron "Cam" Watanabe, Dustin Brooks & Shane Clarke & Tori Hanson & Kali Briar (OFC), Dustin Brooks/Marah, Hunter Bradley & Kali Briar (OFC), Necrolai/Toby Slambrook, Nick Russell & Kali Briar (OFC), Nick Russell/Kali Briar (OFC), Phineas/Leelee Pimvare, Vida Rocca & Matoombo, Vida Rocca/Chip Thorn, Xander Bly & Kali Briar (OFC), Xander Bly & Madison Rocca & Vida Rocca & Nick Russell & Chip Thorn & Original Character(s)
Series: Kali Briar [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1591261
Comments: 11
Kudos: 5





	1. Answering the Call

"Hey, have you seen this?"

Kali jumped as a newspaper was dropped in front of her. She had been studying more magical history while on her break at the Rock Porium. Looking up, Kali scowled at Xander as he sat on the stool beside her.

"It's not like I'm busy or anything," she muttered.

"Sorry. But look, there's new Rangers," said Xander, poking the front page of the paper. "Overdrive Rangers in San Angeles."

"Okay, and I care why?" Kali asked. She picked the paper up and read the small inscription beneath the image. The Overdrive Rangers had just been seen saving the San Angeles city from weird lizard-like creatures.

Xander shrugged. "Don't you normally sense when evil is around?" he asked.

"This is in another state," said Kali. "My abilities don't extend that far."

"As far as you know."

Kali rolled her eyes and shoved the newspaper into his chest.

Xander chuckled. "You're the Hellhound," he said. "You have dominion over the whole spirit world. Surely you can sense a shift in the darkness. You were able to sense when darkness was approaching when we were Rangers."

"I could sense dark magic approaching," said Kali. "The Overdrive Rangers don't look to be using magic to me."

"True. But the creatures they're fighting look like they belong in the Mystic Realm."

Kali shook her head and turned back to her book. "Well, if they do, it's in a place where the Hellhound can't reach," she said.

"How was it meeting your grandparents for the first time?" Xander asked, changing the topic. He folded the paper and pushed it against the wall.

Kali huffed in response.

"That bad, huh?"

Kali's scowl hardened as she glared at her book.

"That bad," Xander confirmed. "What happened?"

"Nothing."

"So something did happen?"

Kali turned her fierce glare onto her friend. "I swear if you keep talking I'm going to use my Hellhound abilities against you," she warned.

Xander whistled and held up his hands. "Definitely bad," he said.

Kali grit her teeth and grabbed her book.

"Where are you going?" Xander asked.

"Somewhere you aren't," said Kali, sliding from her chair and walking away. She crossed the store and headed outside, finding Matoombo and Vida sitting on the steps. The pair looked up as Kali approached, Vida's pink hair glinting in the afternoon sunlight.

Vida smiled. "Xander bugging you?" she asked.

"How'd you guess?" Kali sighed.

Vida smiled. "We were all curious how your gathering went this morning, but he was the only one foolish enough to ask you about it," she said.

Kali run a hand through her hair. "If he wasn't so... Xander, I would tell him it was a disaster," she said. "To be honest, I half expected you to be interrogating me about it. I mean, you didn't hold back during the whole triangle fiasco."

Vida grinned. "True. But you didn't look happy when you arrived to work," she admitted. "We've all pretty much learned to give you a wide berth until you've calmed down."

"Xander seems to need a refresher course," Kali said.

Vida laughed and nodded in agreement.

"Anyway, enough about me," said Kali, shaking her head. "How are you two doing?"

Vida shrugged. "Can't complain," she said.

"You spoke to Maddie?"

Vida nodded. "She calls every morning to check-in," she said.

"I don't see why you didn't go with them."

Vida shrugged. "We all had the chance," she said. "Maddie and Chip seemed to be the only ones interested."

"Fair point."

A month after their time as Mystic Rangers had come to an end, the team had been offered chances to train with Masters of their respective elements; the friends had asked for time to think about it and had been given a week to decide, but only Maddie and Chip had seemed excited by the idea. So, at the end of the week, the duo had been whisked off to the training school to continue their education.

"How about you, Matoombo?" Kali asked. She hadn't seen much of the cotton ball in the last few months. If she wasn't working at the Rock Porium then she was taking additional sessions at Root core with Eithne, or meeting her extended family - the royal woodland elves. Sometimes, she was in the Underworld with Necrolai, LeeLee, and Itassis. Just because it was once a place of great evil, didn't mean that it couldn't now be used for the greater good.

Matoombo shrugged. "Happy," he replied, his voice booming as usual.

Kali smiled. "I'm glad you're here," she said. "It was uplifting to see you in the Spirit World, and even more so when Nikki said she had enough power left to bring you back."

"I can't thank you enough," said Matoombo.

"No thanks needed, big guy," said Kali, shaking her head. "It's not family without the whole group."

Matoombo smiled and nodded.

A familiar jingle sounded from Kali's pocket and she removed her old Morpher with a frown. The only time the team used them were in cases of dire emergencies. Regardless of there being harmony between both the Mystic Realm and the Human one, there was still the odd trouble maker that tried to start up the old wars, but the team, despite being two members down, were still there to stop them.

"Surprisingly, I don't miss that sound as much as I thought I would," said Vida, chuckling.

Kali nodded and snapped the Morpher open. "What's up, Nick?" she asked.

_"Kali, you and the others better get back here, now."_

"Why, what's wrong?" Kali asked, sensing the urgency in his voice. She cast a look at Vida.

_"Trust me when I say you're better hearing this for yourselves."_

"I'll get Xander," Vida said, disappearing into the store.

"We'll be there in a few," Kali told Nick. She snapped her Morpher closed and turned to Matoombo.

"That didn't sound good."

"It never is," Kali muttered. "Are you coming with us?"

Matoombo shook his head. "I'll wait for Vida in the Mystic Realm. See you soon, Kali." He stood and walked across the road, disappearing into the trees.

Once Vida had returned with Xander, the trio raced across the road and disappeared through the tree opposite.

**~X~**

  
Root core was deadly silent when Xander, Vida, and Kali arrived. They found Nick in the main room with Eithne, Leanbow, Daggeron, and Udonna, while Claire was nowhere to be found. The group looked around as the door opened, dispelling the three teens inside.

"What's going on?" Kali asked, eyeing the group with keen interest. It looked like they had called a meeting, and the last time they had called a meeting three out of five of them ended up dead.

Eithne turned to her daughter. "An old friend has paid us a visit," she said. "I'm afraid she has some grave news."

"Is this about them freaky lizard things in San Angeles?" Xander asked. "They're all over the newspapers. The media hasn't had this much of a field day since we were Rangers."

Eithne cocked her head to the side.

"What freaky lizard things?" Leanbow asked.

Xander headed for the nearest computer and started a global search. He quickly found what he was looking for and showed the news footage to the adults.

"Lava Lizards?" Udonna gasped.

"Lava what now?" Vida asked.

"Lava Lizards," Daggeron repeated. "They're the foot soldiers of a creature known as Moltor."

Eithne strode to the bookcase and took down a book from the top shelf. She leafed through it and then set it down on the table. Nick, Kali, Vida, and Xander crowded around.

"It's a story," said Kali. "The Corona Aurora."

"The Corona Aurora is no mere story," said Udonna. "According to the legend, the crown has power, not just over this planet but the Universe. Millennia ago, in a galaxy on the other side of the universe, there were two brothers -- Moltor and Flurious. They tried to steal the Corona Aurora. But the crown was so powerful it cursed them, changed their appearances, and sent them off to distant planets. Imprisoning them in their own elements."

Kali shared a look with Nick. "It still sounds like a story," she said.

"There's more," said Eithne. "To stop anyone from getting the power again, or attempting to get it, the guardian took the five jewels from the crown and scattered them on a distant, uninhabited planet."

"Let me guess, that planet was Earth," said Vida.

Eithne nodded. "Back when the planet was first born," she confirmed. "It would seem that someone has freed Moltor and Flurious from their imprisonment. And now, thanks to them, they and who knows how many other power-crazed beasts are here -- or soon will be -- looking for the crown."

"We don't even know where the crown is," said Xander.

"I'm guessing that's why there are Power Rangers in San Angeles," said Kali. "Is that why you've called us here? They need help or something?"

Daggeron shook his head. "We had no idea that Moltor and Flurious had been released until you told us," he said. "The reason we called you here is for another matter."

"Then what is it?" Vida asked. "Nick sounded urgent when he called, and you all looked scared when we arrived."

Kali and Xander nodded.

"Does the name Rune Tessler mean anything to either of you?" Eithne asked.

"Rune Tessler?" Kali repeated.

Eithne nodded.

"Wasn't she the Water Mystic before Maddie?" Vida asked.

Again, Eithne nodded.

"She's here," said Kali, spying Udonna and Leanbow's grave faces. "Rune is here at Root core. She's the old friend that you mentioned."

Leanbow bowed his head. "Rune has been residing at a place called the Wind Ninja Academy in Blue Bay Harbour. She teaches water-bending there to their students."

"Is that where Maddie is?" Vid asked.

"Maddie is safe," Daggeron said, reassuringly.

Kali cocked her head to the side. "Why would you assume that we're asking about her safety?" she asked.

Daggeron hesitated.

"Oh god... what happened? Where's my sister?" Vida asked, panicking.

Kali placed a hand on Vida's shoulder as she looked to the adults. "Tell us what happened," she said.

"The Wind Ninja Academy was attacked yesterday," said Leanbow. "Its students were captured and the grounds destroyed. Rune managed to escape."

"And Maddie?" Xander asked.

"She wasn't at the Academy when the attack occurred," Udonna said. "She's advancing in her studies rather quickly and has already progressed to a higher level. She's taking lessons at another academy in Summer Cove, as is Chip."

Vida relaxed.

"Back to the Wind Ninja Academy," said Kali, reassured that her friends were safe. "Not to sound insensitive or anything, but what have they got to do with us?"

"The Academy falls under the Mystic Realms purview of protectors."

"You're saying they're guardians, too?" Vida asked.  
Udonna nodded. "Just as the Mystic Realm protects the Human Realm from the forces of the Underworld, the Wind Ninja Academy protects another gateway, a gateway that hasn't been opened in over a century, and houses all the Evil of ages gone by. The Abyss of Evil," she explained.

"So it's part of the Underworld?" Nick asked.

"Yes and no," Eithne answered. "It's a dreaded realm of darkness between dimensions. In ancient Ninja folklore, it is represented as the negative afterlife."

Kali paused, her brow furrowing. "Wait, I've read about this place before," she said. She retrieved the book she had been reading at the Rock Porium from her backpack and skimmed a few pages near the front.

"Here. There are believed to be three different realms of darkness, each one different to the last and specific to a certain type of evil. The Abyss of Evil is said to house the evils of anyone with a Ninja or Magical background, while the Shadow Land holds the spirits of evil-doers. The last and less recorded of the dark realms is the Nighlok Heaven."

"They make it sound so quaint," said Xander, sarcastically. "Nighlok Heaven."

"Hey, one man's heaven is another man's hell," said Kali, closing the book and tossing it onto the table.

Xander relented. "I still don't understand what any of this has to do with us," he said, looking back at the adults.

"With only three students from the Wind Ninja Academy remaining, they require assistance in protecting the Abyss of Evil from any further attacks."

"You never said who took them," said Nick.

Leanbow approached the table and waved his hand at the Crystal ball. An image of a man appeared. He was decked in a full leather outfit, complete with a face mask and a long ponytail sticking out of the top. His cold, evil and beady eyes stared back and a cruel smirk edged its way onto his lips.

"This is Lothor," said Leanbow. "He was once a great Ninja. He was banished from the Earth when his hunger for power turned him to the dark side. Now he has returned and brought an army that will do anything to take our planet for their own, unless they are stopped!"

Kali leaned against the edge of the table, staring intently into the crystal ball as she watched the destruction take place in what she could only guess was the Wind Ninja Academy grounds. She watched as students were sucked into large bubbles and shot into the sky, disappearing until no one was left.

"So, you think that to take control of our world, Lothor is going to open the Abyss?" Kali asked.

Leanbow nodded. "Fortunately for us, the Abyss can only be opened when it's filled to capacity, and only then it can be opened with a mighty force."

Kali met Leanbow's gaze and found him staring, unnervingly back. "You mean me," she said.

"Yes."

Kali lowered her gaze back to the Crystal Ball. "So, let me get this straight," she said, taking a deep breath. "You want to send me -- the Hellhound -- to Blue Bay Harbour, to take on the responsibility of a being a Power Ranger, again, and to stop this lunatic from opening a secret realm of Darkness?"

"Yes, but there is a catch," said Eithne.

"Isn't there always?"

Eithne took a deep breath. "The only way to stop Lothor is to seal him inside the Abyss," she said. "But the only way you can do that is if it is opened first."

Kali shared a confused look with Xander, Nick, and Vida.

"Wait, you want Kali to open it?" Nick asked, confused.

"Isn't that something we shouldn't be doing?" Xander asked.

"Yeah," said Vida.

Kali straightened up and folded her arms. "Something tells me there is more to it than that," she said.

"Sharp as always," Daggeron chuckled. "Over time, the Abyss has filled up with more and more evil energy. It's almost full and fit to burst open. Once that has happened, all that energy will settle down again and the Abyss will return to normal."

"Like a pressure cooker," said Kali. "It needs to become unstable before it can simmer down. The only way to do that is by removing the lid."

Daggeron nodded.

Kali grinned. "So, you want to send me to Blue Bay Harbour has a bait. To tempt Lothor into capturing me, letting him think he has won, and then to turn on him and send him back where he belongs?" she asked.

"Essentially, yes," Eithne said.

Kali took a deep breath. "When do I leave?" she asked.

"Sensei Watanabe is expecting you tomorrow, at the latest," Eithne answered. "He's agreed to let you stay at their base of operations for the duration of the assignment, unless, of course, you wish to commute every day from here."

"It would be easier if I stayed there," said Kali. "At least then I'm on the frontline and available without hesitation. Just one problem," she added, heaving a sigh. "I'm not a Ninja."

Eithne chuckled. "You weren't a Mystic until a few months ago," she said. "You learned how to become one relatively quick. While you stay with Sensei Watanabe, he has agreed to teach you the Way of the Ninja alongside being a Power Ranger. The three surviving students are still undergoing training, so you'll be joining them."

"Great," Kali muttered. "I been out of school for nearly three years, and now I get to go back."

"At least this time it's a Ninja school," said Nick.

"Yeah, it's probably more fun than High School," Vida chirped.

Xander nodded.

Kali rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile and crept onto her face. "I guess I'll go home and pack," she said.

"I'll see to Rune," said Eithne. "She should be fit enough to travel by the time you return."

Kali nodded and left Root core with the others.


	2. Magical Storm, Ranger Form

Kali whistled as she looked around new soon-to-be new Ranger base. It was similar to Root core in the sense that it was hidden away in plain view and secluded, but it also wasn't like Root core as, for one, it wasn't hidden inside an old tree. Ninja Ops, as Cameron had called it, was built like an old storm shelter, and more technologically advanced than Root core could ever be.

"I'm not much of a cyber kind of girl, but this place is kind of cool," said Kali, looking back at Cam and Sensei. The pair were father and son, a notion that she also contributed back to Nick and Leanbow. It seemed saving the world was in more than just her own family's bloodlines.

Cam smiled and bobbed his head in acknowledgement. "Should I call the others for introduction's?" he asked his father.

"Not quite yet," said Sensei, twitching his furry nose. "There is much we need to do before you officially meet my students," he added to Kali.

"That's fine with me," said Kali. She knelt on a cushion at the small table in the centre of Ninja Ops, leaned against the edge. "Where and what do we start with?"

Sensei flicked his gaze towards Cam. "The Morpher, please, son," he said.

Cam stood from the computer and disappeared through a side door. Kali could hear him tinkering around and moving things aside before he returned with a small rectangular box with a symbol on the top.

"Wait, that's the Mystic Symbol for darkness," said Kali, getting to her feet and taking the box from Cam. She traced her finger over the intricate design and looked down at Sensei.

"This Morpher was made specifically with the Black Mystic Magic, and therefore can only be used by someone with the same abilities," said Sensei.

"How long have you been planning for this battle?"

"A long time."

"Tori, Shane, and Dustin were a last resort case," said Cam. "We had no other students to choose to become Rangers, but that's not the case for you. You were born with the ability to wield darkness, therefore the Morpher was designed for you."

Reverting her attention to Cam, Kali cocked her head to the side. "If there is one thing I learned when I was a Ranger, it's that there's no such thing as a last resort," she said. "You might find that Tori, Shane and Dustin were meant to become the Wind Rangers, just like I was meant to be the Black. Magic and destiny don't always work out the way we expect it, too."

Cam shrugged and took the box back. He opened the lid and revealed a slender looking device with a black leather strap. "Once you've put this on you're taking the oath to not reveal your secret identity to anyone," he said. "To only use your powers to defend, and not attack."

"You can save the speech," said Kali. "It's not my first rodeo, remember? It's only been six weeks since my last Ranger team ended, I think I can remember the rules."

"Briarwood knows that you were a Mystic Ranger," said Cam. "The local news outlets broadcasted the news statewide, so that means all of California knows. People are going to recognise you outside of here, we don't want them putting two and two together when the Black Ninja Storm Ranger appears."

Kali bit back a sigh and forced a smile. She didn't know Cam that well, yet, but at the moment he couldn't have sounded more patronising. "I got it," she said. She took the Morpher from the box and strapped it to her wrist. It felt weird and heavy, but she was sure that she would get used to it soon.

"All you need to do now is activate it," said Cam. "To do that, just yell out 'Magical Storm, Ranger Form!', your magic will fuse with the magical properties in the Morpher and it will be bonded to you."

Stepping back, Kali brought up her left arm and tapped the three buttons on the surface of the Morpher, she felt the usual flood of power sweep through her, rushing from the top of her head to the tips of her fingers and toes. She smiled, faintly, and then pulled her right hand against the disc atop the Morpher.

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form - Power of Darkness!"

Kali blinked and looked down. Her vision was slightly blurred as she stared through the blacked-out visor of her helmet, for a split second she couldn't see anything but then she could. She scoffed in amusement as she took in her body clad in the familiar black spandex with white stripes leading up to the mystic emblem of darkness over her heart.

"This is cool," Kali said, her voice echoing inside her helmet.

"Don't relinquish it just yet," said Cam.

Kali looked up to see he was sitting back at his computer. He fiddled with the keys for a few seconds and then looked back at Kali. She blinked as her visor spurred to life, flashing pieces of purple code past her eyes. When it finally settled down, Kali noticed a LED screen of information on either side of her visor.

"I just linked you up to the monitors," Cam explained. "Now, I will be able to see everything you see while in the field, and you can contact my father and me from anywhere during battle. Your Morpher is also linked to the morphin' grid and you can use it to contact us or any of the other Rangers."

"So I'm all set?" Kali asked.

Cam nodded.

"Great. Power down," said Kali. Her new suit disappeared and she reverted to her human form.

Sensei twitched his furry nose again and a small smile crept onto his face. "I do believe everything is in order here," he said. "Now would be a good time to contact the others. Once they're here, I'll make the intro -" he broke off as a quiet voice called out from the entrance, and a petite blonde hurried into Ops.

Kali turned and stared at the newcomer, observing the startled look on her face as she stared back.

"Oh. You're Kali Briar," said the blonde.

Kali glanced at Cam. He offered her an 'I-told-you' look and turned back to the computer.

"Kali, meet Tori Hanson," said Sensei. "The Blue Wind Ranger. Tori, this is our newest recruit. Kali will be joining you, Shane, and Dustin as the Black Ranger."

Tori smiled. "Cool. Sorry, but we assumed that the Black Ranger would be a guy," she said. "But this is even better. I'm not outnumbered anymore."

Kali chuckled. "I find it hard to believe that you'd let anyone outnumber you," she said.

"Thanks. But it's still hard being the only girl at times," Tori admitted. "Like today, for example."

"Something you want to talk about?"

Tori shrugged and held out the card in her hand.

After reading the invitation, Kali spied Tori curiously. "I'm guessing there is a story behind all this," she said, handing it back.

"Earlier at the beach this sufer hottie took an interest in me, but because Shane only sees me as a dopey Tomboy he let the guy leave without introducing us," Tori explained. "I'm tired of them only assuming that I can only be friends with a guy and nothing more. Then just now, at Storm Chargers, he commented on how only gorgeous girls' are apart of the Girl Sports' magazine, and it just made me angrier."

"Understandable," said Kali. "But, do you want to change who you are just to prove him wrong? I mean, does being 'gorgeous' really define a woman? There's more to us than just our looks."

"That's easy for you to say," said Tori.

Kali smiled. "I'll admit, a lot of the guys I used to date only dated me because I looked good on their arm," she said. "But, I'm not superficial and spend hours in the morning looking at myself in the mirror. I'm up, showered, dressed, and out the door ready for work. I ride a motorcycle instead of a car because I don't like the whole association between good-looking women drive a certain type of car."

"What about you, Sensei?" Tori asked, looking at the guinea pig. "Do you think to do the photoshoot because I want others to see me as a girl is a good enough excuse?"

"A Ninja's power flows through them from deep within their being," said Sensei. "This inner strength can help you in all situations."

Kali shared an amused look with Tori.

"You're no help, you know that?" Tori smiled.

"There's a difference between helping someone and deciding for them," said Sensei.

Kali nodded as Tori looked back at her. "I wouldn't do it just because someone said I didn't live up to their expectations," she said. "But you're not me. If you want someone to take you more seriously as a girl, then go for it. What have you got to lose?"

Tori sighed and looked back at her invitation.

**~X~**

Reaching the beach, Kali brushed her windswept hair from her face and frowned a the caravan parked on the edge of the beach. It couldn't have been in an any more remote location, and from the outside appearance, it didn't look anything like a glamourous photoshoot.

"Is this the right place?" Kali asked Tori.

"It's what it says on the invitation," said Tori.

Kali furrowed her brow. "I've seen music drops more glamourous than this," she said. "You sure you still want to do it?"

"Let's see if we can find someone that can help."

"Okay. I'm following your lead," said Kali.

Tori led the way over to the caravan and knocked on the screen. "Hello?" she called, her voice being swept away in the wind.

The door swung open and two women tumbled out. One had a brunette ombre tied back in two pigtails, while the other hand pink wavy hair into a high ponytail. They were both dressed in clothes that looked to be straight out of the 80s and Kali noted they didn't look age-appropriate to be huge professional photographers.

"Oh, hello," the brunette said.

"Hi, I'm Tori and this is my friend, Kali."

Kali raised her hand but remained stoic and curious as she surveyed the scene. Something didn't feel right. She could sense evil nearby, and although she couldn't see anything that was remotely bad-looking, other than the two weird sisters that were dragging Tori into their caravan, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen.

Tearing her gaze away from the surrounding area, Kali met the gaze of the pink-haired photographer. "What?" she asked.

"This is a closed set," the girl replied. "You should wait for your friend over there." She pointed towards the other end of the parking lot.

"Yeah, that's not going to happen," said Kali, folding her arms and narrowing her eyes at the girl.

"I'll report you. I have the cops on speed dial."

Kali shrugged. It wouldn't have been her first time in trouble with the police for breaking the law.

The door to the caravan swung open again and Tori stepped out. Instead of her usual blue flannel, jeans and trainers, she was wearing an all-in-one red jumpsuit with a floral neck scarf and a bandana that kept her hair back into an updo puffball.

"This is so not me," said Tori, awkwardly.

"We've seen what's you, okay?" the pink-haired girl said, smiling brightly. "Now, you just, uh," she adjusted Tori in the afternoon light, and to the camera stand. "Smile."

Kali approached Tori. "I think we should get out of here," she said. "I admire you for wanting to prove to everyone that you can still be a girl even though you're a tomboy, but there is something seriously wrong with this whole thing. Girls' Sports magazine is about models posing in bathing suits or bikinis with surfboards and parasailing equipment. You're not showing enough skin to get the type of following they usually aspire, too."

"I know," said Tori. "I wasn't 100% comfortable with that part of the shoot, but this is just weird. Hey -" she turned to the two bickering girls' and paused. "Hang on - 'if found please return to Lothor' - I thought I recognised you two, bad hair, bad clothes, too much makeup."

"Do you think it's too much?" the brunette interrupted. "I mean, I have really weak pores -"

"Marah!" the pink-haired girl snapped. She hit a button on the PDA in her hands, and a horde of black and red humanoids appeared between the four females.

Kali's eyes widened. "They are not Hidiacs," she said.

"They're Kelzax's," said Tori, stepping back. "They're Lothor's foot soldiers."

Kali barely had enough time to flip backwards as Kelzax rushed at her. She landed on the beam separating the parking lot from the beach and arched her leg through the air, pinning a Kelzax's arm to the wood. She blocked a high-kick to her stomach and cart-wheeled off the beam landing on the sand. Dropping into a low kick, she tore up the beach, knocking down the Kelzax's that followed her.

As the last Kelzax fell, Kali heard Tori scream and turned just in time to see the blonde surfer get sucked into the camera.

"No!" Kali yelled. "Let her go!"

"Get her, too!" Marah said, tapping her sister on the back and pointing at Kali.

Kali held up her hands and yelled " _ **Uthe Sasoray**_ " and then she disappeared.

**~X~**

Cam jumped as Kali appeared in the middle of Ninja Ops. She staggered but remained standing, her face full of panic. "How did you do that? Why are you doing that? What happened? Where's Tori?" he asked, all at once.

Kali took a deep breath and run a hand through her hair. "Tori got sucked into a camera by a girl called Marah and her pink-haired friend," she said. "They were posing as the photographers of Girls' Sports Magazine. I was overrun with Kelzaxs, so I couldn't do anything."

"Where's Tori now?" Cam asked.

"I don't know," said Kali. "When they turned the camera onto me, I got out of there. I couldn't warn you guys if I had been captured, too."

Cam looked to his father in alarm. "What do we do?" he asked. "Should I call the others?"

"They should be warned," said Sensei.

Cam returned to the computer and Kali sank against the table. "My first day back as a Ranger and I've already lost a team-mate," she grumbled.

"It is still early days, Kali, you mustn't be hard on yourself," said Sensei, patting her cheek with his furry paw. "From what I am aware, you are still learning to be a Mystic, and you haven't even started training as a Ninja. You still have much to learn in both aspects of your life."

Kali smiled lightly and pushed herself into a sitting position. "Thank you, Sensei," she said, getting to her feet. She wandered over to Cam and leaned against the side of his chair. "Did you contact the others?" she asked.

"There seems to be a glitch in the communications," said Cam. "I'm hacking into the surveillance camera's where their Morpher's last registered. We should have a visual on them any..." he broke off as an image of a random street in Blue Bay Harbour appeared. It showed two blonde's dressed in black Ninja garb fighting while two blokes stood nearby, trading insults with a chameleon-like monster.

Kali backtracked from the computer and took out her Morpher. "Do you know what street that is?" she asked.

"No, I can't see any signs," said Cam. "What are you doing?"

"I used a teleportation spell to get back here from the beach," said Kali. "But only works if I know where I am going. I have a good idea of what Ninja Ops looks like now to have a visual image in my head for travelling. That street is random, but I am hoping that the basic specs I have of it are enough to get me there safely. Wish me luck."

"Is this safe?"

Kali shrugged and opened her mystic Morpher. She punched in the three-digit code and held it above her head. " _ **Uthe Sasoray**_ " she echoed, before disappearing.

**~X~**

Tori looked around as Kali appeared beside her. "Whoa, how did you that?" she asked.

"Magic," said Kali. She wrinkled her nose at the clear sludge on the ground. "I'm guessing that's the carbon copy?"

"At least what used to be her," said Tori.

Kali forced a smile and turned to the blonde. "I'm sorry I bailed on you back at the beach," she said. "It's only been six weeks since I was a ranger last time, but I guess six weeks is enough downtime to let all those insecurities flood back."

"It's okay," said Tori, shaking her head. "Where did you go, anyway?"

"Ninja Ops. I let Cam and Sensei know what had happened to you."

Tori smiled. "Well, that's good," she said. "My carbon copy had orders to get Shane and Dustin to take her back to Ninja Ops. You warned them about me being captured would've alerted them to the imposter straight away."

"I'm guessing they are the Shane and Dustin you were talking about?" Kali asked, nodding at the Red and Yellow rangers fighting nearby.

Tori nodded. "Come on, I'll make a quick introduction," she said. The pair hurried over to the others. They fell back in alarm, each prepping for a fight. Tori rolled her eyes. "Guys, it's me."

"How do we know it's the real Tori?" the yellow ranger asked.

"Your real name is Waldo, and Shane, you're afraid of spiders," Tori answered.

The yellow ranger, that Kali could guess was called Dustin, and she didn't blame him giving his proper name, snickered and turned to his leader and friend. "You're afraid of spiders?" he asked, mimicking the creatures leg movements with his fingers.

"You want to make something of it, Waldo?" Shane asked.

Kali smirked at Tori.

"Who are you?" Shane asked Kali.

Tori scoffed. "Don't you recognise her?" she asked. "It's Kali Briar from Briarwood."

"Oh! You were the Black Mystic Ranger!" said Dustin, excitedly. "What are you doing here?"

Kali shrugged and held up her wrist, revealing the black Morpher. "I heard you were in the market for a Black Ranger, and since I had the expertise in wielding dark magic and wearing black spandex, I decided to apply. I guess this," she tapped her Morpher, "means I got the job."

"That's sweet!" Dustin grinned but Shane continued to eye Kali wearily.

Kali smiled and then stiffened. The three Ninja's shared a look and stared at her questionably as she unstiffened.

"What was that?" Dustin asked. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, but he's not going to be," said Kali, pointing at the chameleon monster. "How about we finish this conversation later?"

"Good idea," Tori agreed. "Ready?"

Kali nodded and stepped between Dustin and Shane. She glanced at Tori and raised her arm across her chest.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form - Power of Water!"

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form - Power of Darkness!"

"Kelzax's," the monster yelled. A flurry of black and red foot soldiers flooded the area between the monster and the Rangers. "Get them, I say! Attack right away!"

"Ninja Swords, Cosmic mode!" Tori, Shane, and Dustin yelled, rushing forward.

Kali reached over her shoulder and pulled the sword from its sheath. "Ninja Sword - Mystic Mode!" A black mystic symbol appeared in the small square on the hilt. Looking up, Kali watched a small handful of Kelzax's rushing towards her, she rolled the sword between her hands and grinned. "Game on," she muttered, meeting them halfway.

**~X~**

"Whoa, this place is super cool," Kali grinned as she walked into Storm Chargers later that afternoon with Tori.

"This is where we come to hang out when we're not busy with school or saving the world," said Tori. "That's Kelly, she owns the place."

Kali looked to where Tori was pointing and saw a red-haired woman with a green jacket on talking to Dustin. "I'm going to go introduce myself," she said, spotting Shane approaching. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Tori muttered.

"Hey, I'm -"

"Kali Briar," Kelly said, shaking her hand. "Yeah, you were on the news six weeks ago."

Kali forced a smile. "If this is what it's going to be like everywhere I go, I'm revoking the fact that I was the Black Mystic Force ranger, and that it was all an elaborate prank."

Kelly chuckled. "Sorry. It's not every day we get celebrities in here," she said.

"I'm not a celebrity, believe me," said Kali. "I just did what anyone would've done."

"You'd be surprised how many people would love to be a Ranger simply for the cool costumes and gadgets," said Kelly. "Everyone wants to think they're a hero, but when it comes down to it, they're nothing but fools in tin foil."

Kali laughed. "I like you," she said.

"I like you, too," said Kelly, smiling. "Anyway, if you live in Briarwood, what are you doing here in Blue Bay Harbour?"

"Visiting a friend," said Kali, easily. She noticed the surprised look on Dustin's face and bit back a grin.

Kelly smiled and nodded. "Well, look, if there is ever anything you need, just ask, alright," she said.

"Yeah, I will."

"Great. I'll be out back if anyone needs me," Kelly added to Dustin before heading to the back office. She closed the door in her wake and Kali turned to her new teammate.

"How do you do that?" Dustin asked, awestruck.

Kali smiled. "What?" she asked.

"Lie so flawlessly," said Dustin. "I would've got tongue-tied and nervous, I would've ended up tripping over my words."

"You've just got to believe in it," said Kali. "If you can convince yourself that what you're saying is the truth, then you'll have no trouble in saying it."

"I'll have to remember that."

Kali chuckled and turned around as Shane and Tori approached. "Did you work everything out?" she asked.

"Yes. He even apologised," said Tori, happily.

"Impressive," said Kali. "It takes a real man to admit when he's wrong, and not many can say that they have done that. Kudo's, Shane."

Shane rolled his eyes. "Are you ready to tell us who you are now?" he asked.

"Shane!" Tori exclaimed, punching his shoulder.

Kali laughed and held her hand up to Tori. "It's okay," she said. "I was expecting this. I mean, it's not every day that a pretty girl turns up out of the blue, claiming she has magic and telling you that she's your new teammate."

"And yet, here you are," said Shane.

"Here I am," Kali said, matching his tone. She leaned back against the front counter, crossed her one leg over the other and folded her arms across her chest. "So, what do you want to know?"


	3. Looming Thunder

"Good, you're awake," said Cam, looking up from the computer as Kali entered Ninja Ops. Behind her came Tori and Shane. "And you've been out. How long have you been awake?"

Kali shrugged. "A couple of hours," she replied. "When I can't sleep, I wander."

"Why can't you sleep?" Shane asked. "Bad dreams?"

"More like bad feelings," Kali answered. "The Hellhound is restless, and I can't figure out why."

"Has this ever happened before?" Tori asked.

"A few times, yeah," said Kali, nodding. "But only when something bad is about to happen. The last time it happened was when Imperious cast the Dark Wish and made the Mystic Force disappear. The Hellhound was restless because it could sense something bad was happening, but it couldn't do anything about it."

Tori and Shane shared side glances.

Kali smiled at them. "It's complicated," she said. "But it's my burden to bare, not yours. Don't worry. I'll figure it out."

"Well, if it's Ranger related then it's our burden, too," said Tori. "You're our teammate. We'll figure it out together."

Shane nodded.

"Thanks."

"Hate to interrupt," said Cam. "But we've got activity in the forest."

Kali, Shane, and Tori crowded around the computer, watching as a swarm of Kelzacks appeared out of nowhere.

"Hey, that's Dustin," said Kali, pointing at a small blip on the map.

"Now looks like a great time to try out your new artillery," said Cam, pressing a button on his keyboard. A wall shifted to the left of the trio and they turned to see four new bikes. Each one representing their Ranger colours.

Kali grinned.

"These are your new Tsunami cycles," said Cam. "And that's not all. Come with me." He stood and walked out of the room.

Shane, Kali, and Tori shared a look and followed.

**~X~**

Dustin panted with exertion as he lay on his back in the middle of a swarm of Kelzaks. They'd caught him off guard, and easily overpowered him. Has they raised their swords, ready for the final strike, they paused at the rumble of an engine. Craning his neck, Dustin's eyes widened as a black rider atop of a motorcycle sped effortlessly through the trees, they stopped a few feet away and fired lasers at the swarm.

The Kelzaks screeched and separated. They surrounded the rider and Dustin rolled to his knees as two more bikes and their riders raced onto the scene. He scoffed in amusement as Tori and Shane cut through the swarm surrounding Kali, allowing her to speed away, running down a few Kelzaks in her path.

Re-grouping, Kali turned to Dustin as he rolled up beside her. "Hey, you made it," she said, high-fiving him.

"Look. the freaks are back," said Tori, nodding ahead. The Kelzaks had respawned and were blocking the road.

"Not going to be a problem," said Shane, revving his engine. "Ready?"

"Yeah!" Dustin said.

The four sped ahead, each one breaking off into pairs and then turning back to charge the Kelzaks from all sides. Dustin and Kali split up to attack from different fronts, as Tori and Shane did the same from the opposite direction.

"Woah!" Kali called, leaning back on her seat as a Kelzaks' sword sliced through the air above her. She kicked up and lodged her foot into the Kelzaks chest, knocking him back. Repositioning herself, Kali fired her lasers at the oncoming swarm, revved her engine, and blasted through them.

Tori grinned as she rolled up beside Kali. "This is fun!" she grinned.

"Yeah, I'm just warming up," said Shane, rolling his shoulders.

"Too bad there had to be Kelzaks," said Dustin.

"To bad for them," said Kali.

"Not for long," said Shane.

The others nodded and sped forward, taking out the last of the swarm within seconds.

Returning to the Mobile Command Centre, the four friends dismounted their bikes and powered down. Dustin chuckled, clasped hands with Shane, and then turned to run his hands over his bike.

Kali watched him, a mischievous smirk on her lips. "You want some privacy, Dustin?" she teased.

Dustin stuck his tongue out at her. "Like you didn't marvel at your bike," he said.

"Didn't have the chance," said Kali, grinning. "We had to come to save your behind."

"They caught me off guard," Dustin whined.

Kali laughed and shook her head.

"Hey, guys," said Cam, approaching from the back of the Mobile Command Centre.

"Yo, man," Dustin grinned.

"What's up, Cam?" Shane asked.

"Hey," Kali and Tori smiled.

"Hey, these bikes work pretty good," said Shane, as Cam checked Tori's controls.

Cam rolled his eyes. "You know, Shane, you were lucky," he said. "They still need some fine-tuning."

Kali shot Shane a look as he made a face behind Cam's back. "How old are you?" she asked, smacking his shoulder.

"Hey, Dustin," Cam called, tossing Dustin his backpack. "Since you're the bike expert why don't you take a look at these specs and give me an altitude chart for auto-jetting." He pulled the disc away as Dustin made to grab it. "And, uh, don't try and play video games with it or something like you would do."

Dustin rolled his eyes. "Okay, dude, you know, I'm not a complete dufus," he said, taking the disc and putting it in his backpack.

"Well, here's your chance to prove it," said Cam, walking away.

Tori grinned and swung her leg over her bike as Kali rested against her own. "These are pretty sweet," she said. "What do you think?"

"Yeah, I agree," said Kali. "Besides, it's nice to have a bike of my own to use in battle, and not rely on others to cart me around."

"You didn't have a bike last time?"

"Nick did," said Kali. "The Mystic Speeder. But we had Mystic Racers for long-distance travel."

Tori cocked her head to the side.

"My last team is a lot different to this one," said Kali. "Whereas Cam builds everything that we use, the Mystics had to learn valuable lessons to gain Spell Codes which opened up the next artillery in our arsenal. NIck got the Mystic Speeder after learning his lesson about how people express themselves. I'll explain in better detail later, but the Mystic Racers are just broomsticks."

"Broomsticks?" Tori laughed.

Kali chuckled. "That was my original reaction, too," she said.

Shane returned. He had been talking to Dustin about not turning up for practice earlier. Granted neither of them had had the chance to practice, given the Kelzak intrusion, but they had all been at Ninja Ops without him.

"What did he say?" Kali asked.

Shane sighed, shook his head, and glanced in the direction Dustin had disappeared.

Kali looked to Tori and then away as a slight shiver run down her spine. It felt like someone had just been watching them.

**~X~**

"This is not good," Cam muttered.

"What's not good?" Kali asked, wandering over to the computer. Shane and Tori followed.

"It's some kind of subterranean disturbance," Cam answered. The computer beeped rapidly as the ground shifted and the lights all over the room started to flicker.

"What's happening?" Shane asked, struggling to maintain his footing. He stumbled away from the computer.

"Look out!" Kali yelled, grabbing Tori's arm and pulling her forward.

Tori yelped as a ceiling rafter shattered against the floor, inches from where she had just been standing. "Thanks," she breathed, glancing at Kali.

Then, the shaking stopped.

"What was that?" Shane asked, returning to the computer.

"Seismographs are picking up some serious activity," said Cam. "They're saying it could be an 8.0 on the Richter scale."

"An earthquake?" Tori asked.

Kali shook her head. "That was no ordinary earthquake," she said, reaching into her pocket and taking out her phone. She fired off a text message and then looked around as Dustin entered Ops.

"It wasn't an earthquake, at all," said Shane.

Kali looked back at the computer and saw a massive mole-like creature on the screen. "I thought moles were supposed to be cute?" she asked.

"He's at the quarry," said Cam,

"On it," said Shane, stepping away. The others fell into step beside him. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Earth, Air, and Water!"

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Darkness!"

**~X~**

"It's a thankless job destroying a city," the mole murmured, looking around the quarry. He'd been sent from space to lure out the rangers, but so far none of his methods seemed to be working. Taking a breather, he grunted as a wall of black fire slammed into him.

Kali smirked and snapped her mystic Morpher closed as the others joined her.

"What was that?" Dustin asked.

"Just a little magic," Kali shrugged.

Breathing heavily, the mole turned to the four rangers.

"Don't count on it," said Shane.

"Yeah, we don't dig what you've been up to!" Dustin added.

"Oh yeah?! Well, I'm guessing by the spandex that it's your job to stop me!" said the mole. He punched his fist into his palm and disappeared beneath the ground, his laughter echoing throughout the quarry.

Shane glanced around. "Where'd he go?" he asked.

"You want to take a wild guess?" Tori asked, sarcastically.

"Holy moly!" Dustin muttered.

"Keep your wits about you," said Kali. "The last time I dealt with an underground creature it ended up being mistaken for a hydra worm."

"Hyrda worm?" Tori repeated.

"Another long story," Kali replied. She tightened the hold on her mystic Morpher, opening and closing the lid as she waited for the mole to resurface.

Small stones tumbled beneath the Rangers feet, and Kali looked down. Seconds later the mole exploded up between the four, spinning in a rapid circle and taking the team by surprise.

"Going up!" the mole yelled, sending the team stumbling forward. "Going down!" he added as he dropped back to the ground and disappeared again.

Dustin shook his head and looked around at the clumps of dirt that were being thrown up from underground. "Alright, dig this, dirt boy!" he said, curling three fingers into his palm with two others stood straight. He put his fist to his free hand and then spread his arms. "Ninja Dirt Dive!"

As Dustin disappeared beneath the ground and ploughed towards the mole, Kali held her breath. There was a rumble and a quiver beneath the ground, and seconds later Dustin was tossed into the air.

"Terramole in the house!" the mole yelled, bursting out of the ground again. "Watch and learn, Rangers! I'm going to trash your city from the inside out!"

He dove back underground again and quickly disappeared.

**~X~**

"Hey, you guys finally get to meet."

Kali looked up from her cellphone as Dustin's voice echoed across Storm Chargers. He was standing at the Motorcross bikes with two unfamiliar blokes, but despite their unfamiliarity, Kali still felt like she had seen them before.

"Uh, Shane, Tori, Kali," Dustin continued, pointing to each friend in turn. "This is Hunter and Blake."

"How's it going?" Blake asked as Hunter and Shane shook hands.

"Pretty good," Tori muttered.

"Dustin's told us a lot about you," said Hunter, looking from Shane to Kali.

"But not everything," Blake added, looking Tori over.

Kali rolled her eyes and returned her attention to her cellphone. The text she had sent earlier about the earthquake had been replied to, and Vida had calmed Kali's nerves about the quake disturbing the Mystic Realm as it had done months before. Satisfied that everything was doing alright in Briarwood, Kali shoved her phone into her pocket and looked up. Shane and Dustin were missing, Blake was fawning over Tori and Hunter was staring directly at her.

"What?" Kali snapped.

"Sorry. I just feel like I know you," said Hunter, shaking his head. "Kali, right?"

Kali nodded.

"Do you mind if I ask where you're from?"

Kali shrugged. "Do you want the long answer or the short?" she asked.

"There are two answers?"

"I was _born_ in Briarwood," Kali answered. "But I was _raised_ in Sacramento."

Hunter skimmed her over from head-to-toe.

"My eyes are up here," said Kali, folding her arms. "I'm also spoken for."

"Not surprising given the way you look."

Kali rolled her eyes. She was used to people hitting on her, but it still annoyed her that they did it after she had stated she was taken.

"Come on, Tori, I gotta go," said Dustin, bustling over and catching Tori's arm. He dragged her away from Hunter and Blake, almost colliding with Kali in his haste to get out the door.

Kali yelped as Tori caught her arm and pulled her along, too.

"Catch you later, Tori," Blake called.

Shaking her hand free of Dustin's, Tori let go of Kali and fell into step beside her instead.

"Sorry," Tori apologised as Kali re-adjusted her jacket.

"It's okay," said Kali, shaking her head. "I haven't been pulled along like that since my sister Molly pulled me towards the pool in our back garden."

Tori smiled. "You have a sister?" she asked.

"Two, actually," said Kali. "Both are younger than me. Ziva by three years and Molly by ten."

"Any older siblings?"

"One," said Kali. "His name was Joe. He was older than me by two years."

"Was?"

"He's been MIA for nearly two years."

"MIA as in -"

"Missing in Action, yeah," said Kali, nodding.

Tori half-glanced at Kali. "He was in the Army?" she asked.

"Silver Guardians."

"Oh."

Kali took a deep breath and then forced a smile. "How about you?" she asked. "Any siblings?"

"One. A sister. Her name's Lily, she's sixteen. She lives with my dad in Ocean Bluff," Tori explained.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realise your parents were divorced."

Tori shook her head. "It's okay. It was an amicable break-up," she said. "I used to live with my dad until I was asked to join the Wind Ninja Academy."

"Lily wasn't asked?"

"She was, but she chose to attend the Pai Zhuq academy instead."

Kali paused. "The Order of the Claw?" she asked.

"You've heard of it?"

"Yeah, they're also a part of the Mystic Realm," said Kali. "Along with several other places. Wow, I didn't realise how big my home was until now."

Tori glanced sideways. "How much do you know about the Mystic Realm?" she asked.

"Not a whole lot."

**~X~**

"98... 99... 100."

Dustin panted and collapsed onto the tabletop.

Kali smirked as she stood, leaning against the door leading to the base, her arms folded across her stomach as she watched the scene take place.

"Maybe now you will learn the importance of punctuality," said Sensei, jumping from Dustin's back and landing beside him.

"And you'll have nice pecs, too," Tori teased, walking over and bracing herself against the table.

Dustin laughed breathlessly as Tori curled her leg beneath her and sat beside him.

"Hey, uh, Dustin, can I talk to you for a sec?" Shane asked, entering Ninja Ops. He looked nervous and sounded almost hesitant in his approach.

Dustin nodded and rolled off the table. He straightened up and approached his friend, already apologising. "Okay, dude, look, I'm sorry. I'm just -" he started.

"It's not about you being late today," said Shane, shaking his head. "Uh, how well do you know Hunter and Blake? I mean, they come out of nowhere, and suddenly they're your best friends?"

"Dude, it's a motocross thing, okay?" said Dustin, waving his hand dismissively. "I mean, you got these skater buds of yours you hang with, and dude, they're total posers, and we don't say a word."

Shane scoffed. "Yeah, well, at least I know what's important here," he said, stopping Dustin in his tracks. "Look, ever since you've been hanging out with these guys, man, your priorities are messed."

"Dude, that's crazy, man," Dustin argued, storming back inside, He glanced over Shane's shoulder and met Tori's gaze. "Come on, back me up here, Tori."

Tori avoided his gaze and sighed heavily.

Dustin stared at her and then wheeled around, his gaze locking on Kali's. "A little help?" he asked.

"I've been here less than a week, and still don't know you all that well," said Kali, holding up her hands. "But, speaking from experience too much pleasure does lead to bad things happening."

Dustin scoffed and turned back to Shane. "Listen, I-I admit that I've been a bit of an airhead lately -" he stammered.

"Listen, this is not chess club," Shane interrupted. "We're talking about the end of the world here! Do you even get that?"

"Sensei, a little help here," said Dustin, desperately turning to his teacher.

"You can only help yourself, Dustin, with your actions, not your words," Sensei replied, calmly.

Dustin looked around at the others again, each one of them, aside from Shane and Sensei avoiding his gaze. He scoffed in disbelief and shook his head. "You know what? I can't believe this. I'm going riding!" he turned and stormed out of Ninja Ops, leaving a heavy silence hanging in his wake.

**~X~**

Kali twirled her newly formed magi-staff between her fingers as she carefully stepped around the quarry. Not long after Dustin had left Ninja Ops did Cam alert the team to the Terramole's reappearance in the construction site downtown. She, Tori, and Shane had taken off while Cam contacted Dustin to alert him to the attack.

"Where he is?" Shane called.

"Found him!" Tori yelled.

Spinning around, Kali found Tori half-buried in the ground as the Terramole tried to drag her under, whilst the blue ranger struggled to pull herself back up. Her fingers clawed at the gravel, but she couldn't get leverage.

"Let her go!" Shane yelled, firing his blaster at the mole.

"I got you!" Kali yelled, running over. She grabbed Tori's arms and hauled her out of the hole, just as the Terramole surfaced.

"You think that's all I've got?" the Terramole bellowed.

Kali straightened up and clenched her magi-staff. "I don't care what else you have to offer," she said. She reached over her shoulder and unsheathed her Ninja Sword.

"You want to fight, huh?" Terramole asked. He darted forward, covering a lot of ground despite being on the surface, and blocked Kali's sword with his arm. He twisted her blade to the side and punched her in the chest, knocking her back as Shane and Tori replaced her. The two crisscrossed and attacked but the Terramole still managed to block and knock them down.

Tori shook her head as Kali helped her stand. "Where's Dustin?" she asked.

"That airhead?" Terramole laughed. "His Ranger days are over!"

"Hey, we're the only ones that can call him an airhead," Shane argued.

Rearing back, Terramole blasted the trio with a strand of lightning from his headpiece and knocked them to the ground.

"Guys, hang on!"

Kali looked around and sighed in relief as she saw Dustin standing on an edge behind her. Shane and Tori also turned, each of them calling out to their friend as he initiated his attack on the Terramole using his Lion Hammer.

The Terramole ducked beneath the ground.

"You can't hide forever," said Dustin, carefully pacing around the quarry. He silently placed one foot behind him and then turned on the spot, creeping and stalking the ground like a hunter circling his prey. He then paused, raised his Lion Hammer above his head, and slammed it into the ground.

The Terramole burst forth, landing on the quarry floor nearby.

"You know what I'm thinking?" Dustin said, turning to his friends.

Shane and Tori nodded and produced their weapons - the Hawk Blaster and Sonic Fin.

"I've got you covered," said Kali. She raised her magi staff above her head and then pulled it down towards the mole. "Hell's Firewall!" A stream of black magic rippled across the quarry and slammed into the Terramole, causing him to howl in pain. He stumbled out of the attack and fell to his knees before the rangers.

Kali stepped aside as the Wind Rangers locked, loaded, and aimed their combined weapons at the Mole.

"Storm Striker!" the trio yelled.

"Take this!" said Dustin, taking the helm and firing the cannon. He fired it straight into the air, where a 100-tonne metal sphere appeared. It fell from the sky and landed on top of the mole, causing him to explode under its weight.

Kali whooped as Dustin, Shane, and Tori uncombined their weapons and turned away from the destruction. "Way to go, Dustin," she said, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Sorry I was late," said Dustin, apologetically. "Can you believe I got stuck in traffic?"

Kali laughed and shook her head. "You made it, and that counts for something," she said. "You could've blown us off altogether."

A shadow blotted out the sun and the four rangers looked up to see that the Terramole had returned, only this time he was a lot bigger.

"Why am I not surprised that they still make them big?" Kali asked, clutching her magi staff.

"How did you use to fight the big ones?" Tori asked.

"In Titan Mode," said Kali. "But I'm not entirely sure it will work in this suit. Cam, any ideas?" she asked into her Morpher.

" _Tori, Shane, Dustin, I'm sending your Zords,"_ said Cam. " _As for you, Kali, Dad wants you to return to Ninja Ops_. "

"What? No! I can help!" Kali protested.

" _I'm sorry, Kali, but without your Titan mode or a Zord, you'll only be a liability_ ," said Sensei. He sounded apologetic and Kali sighed in frustration.

Tori squeezed Kali's shoulder as her Dolphin zord appeared alongside the Hawk and Lion zords. "There's always next time," she said.

"Yeah," Kali muttered. "Next time."

**~X~**

Tori and Shane grumbled as Dustin sped past on his bike, spraying up clumps of dirt with his back tyre and showering them with it. The yellow ranger winced and chuckled as he rolled to a stop in front of them, watching as Kali brushed a few bits from Tori's collar.

"Thanks for the shower," Tori whined, shaking out her jacket.

"Yeah, sorry," Dustin apologised.

"Trust me, this is nothing compared to what could've happened," said Kali, running a hand through her hair.

"There's worse than a dirt shower?" Shane asked.

"Two words - swamp sand."

"Swamp sand?" Dustin asked,

"Think sinking sand but a lot more sludgy."

Dustin, Shane, and Tori shared a look.

"Anyway, did I look faster?" Dustin asked, changing the topic.

Shane grinned and held up his hand for a high-five. "You were ripping, bro," he said, squeezing Dustin's hand as he followed through. "Hey, where's Hunter and Blake?" he added. "I figured they'd be here."

"Yeah, I don't know," said Dustin, scratching the back of his head. "I, uh, I guess they had better things to do than hang out with a goof like me, huh?"

Kali cocked her head to the side and reached out to squeeze his arm. "Hey, if that's the impression they got after spending all that time with you, then that's their problem," she said. "Personally, I find goofy to be a lot more fun than mysterious."

Dustin met her gaze and smiled as she winked at him.

"Yeah, and you know, some of the stuff that I said before..." Shane started. "I didn't mean you weren't committed."

"I know," said Dustin, nodding.

"Yeah," Tori agreed. "You're a great ranger. A flake, but a great ranger."

Shane laughed and lightly punched Dustin in the chest.

"Thanks, guys," said Dustin, happily. "Well, let's go gear up, yeah?" he said, changing the topic again. "If we're going to be riding these tsunami cycles, we'd better be ready."

Tori, Shane, and Kali nodded.

"Let's do it," said Dustin, putting his helmet back on and revving the bike's engine.

Tori and Shane grinned as they headed towards the three motocross bikes displayed near the track. Kali trailed slowly behind them, pausing as the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She turned back, her gaze searching the area for any signs of a magical disturbance, but found nothing.

"Hey, Kali, you with us or what?" Shane asked.

"I'm coming," Kali called back. She searched the area one more time, the feeling of being watched slowly subsiding. Something was out there, she knew that much. But what it was and what it wanted, she wasn't sure about. She just knew that, whatever it was, it was bad news for her and the others.


	4. Thunder Strangers, Part I

"Nick is your boyfriend, right?"

Kali looked up at Tori and nodded. "Yeah, he's also my best friend," she explained.

"How does that work?" Tori asked. "I mean, what happens if you fight and you need to vent to your best friend?"

"I got a Xander for that."

Tori cocked her head to the side.

Kali smiled. "Xander Bly, former Green Mystic Ranger," she explained. "He was the one who prompted Nick to reveal his true feelings for me, and also the one that made me realise how much I was actually in love with Nick."

"So, instead, you go to your ex-crush to complain about your boyfriend?"

"I could," said Kali, nodding. "But, I am the type of person that will complain to Nick about his behaviour and how he's pissed me off."

Tori chuckled.

"Hey, any luck?" Shene asked. He had been practicing his skateboarding at the ramp while Dustin had been searching for his backpack.

Dustin sighed heavily and looked rejected. "No, man," he complained.

"Well, think, where else have you been?" Tori asked, jumping down from the side of the ramp and wandering over.

Kali followed.

Dustin looked thoughtful. His face screwing up in concentration. He then gasped and pointed at Tori. "The track!" he exclaimed. "The tra -"

_**Bleep. Bleep.** _

Shane lifted his arm and hit the intercom button on the side of his morpher. "Go for Shane," he said.

" _We're getting a strange heat signature reading at the quarry,_ " said Cam.

"Kelzaks?" Shane asked, looking around at his friends.

" _I don't know what it is. Better ranger up, just to be safe._ "

Kali nodded as Shane glanced her way. "Not going to be a problem," she said, checking to make sure the coast was clear. She'd been in Blue Bay Harbour for almost a week now, and already been recognised by half of it's citizens as the Black Mystic Force Ranger from Briarwood.

"Ready?" Shane asked.

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! Wind Ranger Power!"

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form! Mystical Ranger Power!"

**~X~**

Whilst the other Ninja streaked to the quarry, Kali used her teleportation powers and arrived there first. She looked up and grinned as the others landed around her, as Dustin stopped and stared.

"Why couldn't we have just done that?" Dustin whined.

Kali shrugged. "You took off before I could suggest it," she said.

"I don't see anything," said Shane, drawing their attention back to the situation at hand.

"Me neither," said Tori, turning in a complete circle.

"Uh, Cam, this place is downtown deadsville," said Shane into his morpher.

" _I'm taking a heat reading from the Air Force satellite. It's usually right on,"_ Cam replied.

Suddenly, Kali tensed. "He's not wrong," she said, spinning around. She held up her wrist, muttered a spell, and a black shield erupted from her morpher, blocking the two bolts of lightning from hitting her and her friends.

Tori gasped and spun around. "What was that?" she asked.

Kali glared as the explosion beyond her magic fizzled out and the silhouttes of two individuals appeared through the smoke. "You know those two?" she asked the others.

Shane, Tori, and Dustin shook their heads.

"Who are you?" Shane called.

"What's with the attitude?" Tori asked.

"Hello, anybody home?" Dustin asked when they two newcomers didn't respond.

Kali took a deep breath as the Crimson ranger turned to face them. The dark magic radiating off of him was overwhelming, but it wasn't the only thing she could sense.

"Obviously, you didn't get the memo," said the Crimson Ranger.

"Old Rangers out, new Rangers in," added the Navy Ranger.

Dustin furrowed his brow. "What, you expect us to fight you?" he asked.

Without warning, the two rangers rushed forward, disappearing into individual blurs and attacking the others from all sides. Kali groaned as she hit the ground, rolling onto her knees and clutching her chest as she glared through her visor.

"Doesn't seem like they want to talk," said Shane, pushing himself up.

"I vote for kicking their wannabe butts," said Tori.

"Seconded," Kali agreed.

"I hear ya," Dustin added.

Pushing himself up, Shane clasped his hands together and kicked off the ground, into the air. He glided across the quarry, using his inner Ninja abilities to walk on air, but he was blindsided by the Navy Ranger and knocked backwards into the mountainside.

"That was brutal!" Shane groaned.

As Tori and Dustin tried to deal with the Crimson Ranger, Kali set her sights on the Navy, just as Shane hurried to help his friends. Kali watched as the Navy Ranger removed his staff from over his shoulder, extend it, and wield it above his head.

He then pelted across the quarry at her teammates.

"Hold it right there!" Kali said, sliding across the Navy Ranger's path and blocking his way to the others. She removed her sword from over her shoulder and rolled it between her hands. She held the sword above her head as the Navy ranger swung his staff at her, the two rippled with energy as the collided.

The Navy Ranger gasped and looked up, stumbling as Kali shoved all her weight against her blade, pushing him back.

"You're not the only one with great power," said Kali, noticing the surprised stance of her oppnent.

"This is not your fight," said the Navy Ranger. "Stay out of our way."

"I'm making it my fight." Still facing the Navy Ranger, Kali swung her arm around and caught the staff of the Crimson Ranger. She smirked and glanced behind her. "Trying to sneak up on a Hellhound with the ability to sense dark magic? Good plan."

The Crimson Ranger tugged his staff free and walked around Kali, rejoining his teammate.

"I'll say it again, this is not your fight," said the Navy Ranger. "Stand down."

Kali cocked her head to the side. "How about, no?" she asked. She tightened the grip on her sword and rushed forward, leaping into the air and swing her sword up over head and then down towards the ground. "Darkness Wave!" she yelled.

A blanket of darkness washed over the new Rangers, and when it cleared they had gone.

Kali paused as she landed, and listened. She couldn't hear or sense anything. Certain that the danger had passed, she straightened and turned to her friends. "They're gone for now," she said. "But they won't stay gone for long."

**~X~**

Kali rolled her eyes as she leaned against the table Cam's computer was set up on. She was watching and listening to her team-mates talk over one another and bombard the little guinea pig with a thousand and one questions.

"One at a time," Sensei said, whistling to get their attention.

Shane took a deep breath. "Sensei, who were those guys?" he asked.

"They fight in the style of the Thunder Ninja academy," Sensei explained. "This is all I know for certain."

"I thought Lothor captured all the other Ninja schools?" Dustin asked.

"Could he have turned them against us so he could fight fire with fire?" Tori asked.

"Their fire comes from deep within," Sensei answered. "Even Lothor cannot be driving them to attack with such passion."

"It's more than that," said Kali, speaking for the first time. "I didn't just feel dark magic radiating off of them."

"What else was there?" Cam asked.

"Grief and a lot of anger."

"Grief?" Shane repeated.

Kali nodded. "I don't know what it's directed at, exactly, but they had a lot of it and it's what was powering their actions today," she answered. "If we can find out what happened to them, then maybe we can figure out why they're fighting us."

Cam nodded.

"You know, I don't really care what their problem is, all I know is, those dudes almost smoked us," said Dustin.

"But they didn't," said Shane, he turned to look at Kali again. "Because of you. What did you do to them? Did you destroy them?"

Kali shook her head. "No, merely transported them elsewhere," she answered. "The Darkness Wave has many abilities - you can attack with it, or use it to teleport enemies - the last one is hard to master. In order to combine my magic of darkness with the darkness wave, I have to tap into the dark power my father gave me when I was concieved. If not properly combined..." she hesitated and then sighed. "Let's just say its not good for either myself or my intended target."

The Wind Rangers shared a look of impressiveness and concern.

_**Beep. Beep. Beep.** _

Kali jumped as the computer beeped, alerting them to more trouble. "Where is it, Cam?" she asked.

"The quarry, again," Cam replied, tapping away at his keyboard.

"What is it, like, a monster con over there or something?" Kali asked.

Cam brought up an image of the quarry, revealing who had just arrived on Earth.

"Zurgane. Still has ugly as ever," said Shane.

"Doesn't he usually come equipped with an evil alien sidekick?" Tori asked.

The others nodded.

"It could be a trap," Sensei warned. "Use caution when engaging him."

"We always do," Shane said, turning away from the computer.

"Yeah, _right_ ," Cam scoffed.

Kali snorted and winked at Cam as he met her gaze.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Earth, Air, and Water!"

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Darkness!"

**~X~**

Zurgane turned as the rangers teleported in behind him.

"Lothor run out of good-looking monsters?" Shane called.

"If you want something done right, you do it yourself!" Zurgane snarled, removing his swords from his shoulder sheaths. "Rangers, meet your destiny!"

Kali rolled her eyes and pulled her own sword over her shoulder. "I met my destiny," she said. "It wasn't all it was cracked up to be."

Zurgane swung his swords towards the ground. "Bring it on!" he challenged.

"You got it!" Shane said, tightening the grip on his sword with both hands. He, along with the others, jumped into the air and flipped over, swinging their swords down onto Zurgane.

Zurgane blocked, threw his weight against the four blades, and then slashed at the rangers with his spare sword. The team cried out as they hit the ground.

"Okay, good idea, bad result!" said Dustin, panting.

"Kali, can't you just use your wave of darkness thing?" Shane asked.

Kali shook her head. "I already used it against the Thunders," she said. "Zurgane will be expecting it now. I won't be able to use it again unless I'm able to catch them off guard."

Shane grumbled and staggered to his feet.

"I'm sick of Power Rangers!" Zurgane complained. "Rangers, Rangers, Rangers! That's all I ever hear!"

"You ever thought of getting a therapist?" Kali asked, rolling her sword between her hands. She rushed forward and locked blades with Zurgane. She shoved him back a few steps, before he threw his weight against her, and knocked her blade into the air.

Kali cried out as Zurgane swiped his sword across her chest, and threw her to the ground. Her sword landing a few metres away.

"This will teach you to respect me!" Zurgane growled as the others circled around Kali. He crossed his blades over and threw them out at the team, knocking them off their feet with several laser beams. "And now to finish what those imbeciles could only start!"

Panting, Kali glanced up through her visor as Zurgane stood over her and the others. He crossed his blades one more time, and she braced herself for the attack. But, it never came, instead, a beam of light surrounded Zurgane and he disappeared.

"Catch you later, big guy!" Shane called.

Thunder clashed overhead and Kali turned as two strands of lightning hit the ground behind her and the others. She groaned as the Thunder Rangers appeared, and held their left hands up to the right shoulders. "Be prepared for anything," she said, clutching her sword tightly.

"Recognise these?" the Crimson Rnager asked.

The pair threw out their hands and, in a second flash of lightning, two tsunami cycles appeared.

" _They_ -" Cam stammered over the morphers. " _Those are_ _ **my**_ _tsunami cycles._ "

"No way!" said Shane, grabbing his head.

"Yes way!" the Crimson ranger laughed, swinging his leg over his bike and twisting the throttle.

"Ours come with a few improvements," said the Navy ranger.

"This is so wrong!" Dustin complained.

"Ready to ride?" the Crimson Ranger asked his companion.

The Navy Ranger nodded. "Let's show these posers how it's done!" he said.

"Who you calling a poser, poser!" Kali snapped.

The Thunders raced forward, pulling back on their throttle and blasting the four Wind Rangers with two individual strands of lightning. The blast knocked them off a cliff, and the Thunders followed, whipping around to face the team again.

"Ready for another lap?" the Crimson Ranger asked.

As the two grew closer, the four rangers split up. Tori and Shane ducked one way, as Kali dragged Dustin another. Taken by surprise, Dustin stumbled and hit the ground on his stomach.

"Ha! Nice face plant!" the Crimson Ranger teased, racing towards Dustin. He swerved at the last second as Shane and Tori blasted him from the otherside of the quarry. Turning his fury onto the pair, the Crimson Thunder unleashed his lightning blasts again, knocking the two back.

Helping Dustin to his feet, Kali and he raced to regroup with Shane and Tori.

"Thunder energy blast!" the Crimson ranger called, skidding around on the gravel and speeding back at the Wind Rangers for a third time.

"Fire!" the Navy Ranger called.

Kali raised her arm and summoned her shield, but the blast was too powerful and overwhelmed her spell. She cried out as she was hit in the chest with crimson lightning and knocked off her feet, landing on the ground beside Dustin.

"Do you smell something burning?"

"Hey, anyone feel like S'mores?"

Aching, Dustin pushed himself to his knees. "I can't believe they stole Cam's disk!" he groaned.

"But... how?" Tori asked.

"The only possible way is that they got their hands on Dustin's backpack somehow," said Kali.

"Who are these guys?" Shane asked.

Dismounting, the Thunders trudged across the gravel and stood over the fallen four.

"This is so easy it's almost boring," the Navy Ranger complained. "I thought they'd at least put up a fight."

"Those guys never could compete with the Thunder Ninja academy," said the Crimson Ranger. "They're so lame."

"No doubt. I thought their Sensei taught 'em better than this."

Kali glared as the Crimson Ranger looked her way. "Then again, they are part of the pathetic Mystic Realm," he said, smirking. "That place was easily overrun by darkness nineteen years ago, what help could possibly come from there?"

"Shut up!" Kali hissed, her hand shaking as she gripped her sword tightly. She pushed herself to her feet and glared at the Thunders. "You said this wasn't my fight, but you keep talking about my home like that, and it will be come my fight."

The Thunders laughed.

"You may _think_ that the Wind Ninja Academy can't compare with yours," Kali continued. "But take on the Mystic Realm, I dare you. We have more than just Ninjas on our side."

The Crimson Ranger scoffed and turned to his partner. "Let's finish what we started," he said. "Crimson Thunder Power!"

"Navy Thunder Power!"

"Sky of Wonder!"

"Power of Thunder!"

Thunder crashed overhead, and lightning bolts encircled the Thunders.

"Crimson Insectizord!"

"Navy Beetle Zord!"

Two insect-themed zords rolled into view.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Tori scoffed.

"They have Zords?" Dustin asked.

"This is getting ridiculous!"

Kali turned to her teammates. "Cam still hasn't figured out how to access my Titan form in this suit," she said. "So, you're on your own from here on out. I'm heading back to Ops." She looked up at the Thunder Zords and hesitated, before turning back to the others. " _Be careful_. I can't stress that enough."

The others nodded and took to their zords as they arrived, leaving Kali to watch before she teleported away.

**~X~**

Kali paced back and forth behind Cam, wringing her hands nervously as she listened to the Megazord battle on the monitors. Cam was sending power sphere after power sphere to the team, in hopes of stopping the Thunder Megazord in its tracks, but nothing seemed to be working.

"Surely there is a way to form my titan mode," said Kali. "What if I morphed into the Black Mystic Ranger?"

"We may be connected in terms of realms, Kali, but your magic will affect your Ninja abilities, and much of your arsenal from the Magical realm won't work against our technology."

Kali sighed and run a hand through her hair. She stopped pacing and leaned against computer desk, watching as the Thunder Megazord made easy work of the Wind Megazord. No matter what power attack her friends threw out, the Thunders managed to avoid it or counter it.

" _Where's the last-minute, just in time, save our butt's device?_ " Dustin asked. " _We're waiting._ "

Cam rolled his eyes and tapped at the keyboard. "Give, give, give - that's all I do," he muttered. "Sending power sphere 4."

" _Thanks, Cam. Just in time,_ " said Shane. There was a split second pause before he added, in a more confused manner. " _Where did it go?_ "

Kali furrowed her brow and shared a confused look with Cam. "What do you mean 'where did it go'? According to this, it's been recieved," she said.

" _You have got to be kidding me!_ " Tori gasped. " _How did they get it?"_

" _Interception at the goal line, and the Thunders are running it back for a touchdown! Activating Power Sphere, now!_ "

Kali, Cam and Sensei watched with bated breaths as the Thunder Megazord deposited the power star from its chest plates. It wielded it through the air, swiping up, down, left and right, while generating enough energy to power the weapon. As the star crackled with lightning, the Thunder's raised it above their head and swiped it down, unleashing a spinning star blast that hit the Wind Megazord, toppling it over in a blaze of sparks and smoke.

"They're down," Kali gasped.

"Come in Shane," said Cam. "Tori! Dustin!"

But there was no response from the trio.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	5. Thunder Strangers, Part II

"Cam, Sensei, I got them," said Kali, as she breathed a sigh of relief after spotted Shane, Dustin, and Tori breaking the top of a nearby hill. Despite taking a beating at the hands of the Thunder Rangers, they looked relatively alright.

" _That's great news, Kali_ ," said Sensei, he too sounded relieved. " _All of you return to base, as soon as possible_."

"Yes, Sensei," Kali agreed. She rushed over to help the trio and reached them at the same time as Hunter, Blake, and Kelly. "Thank god, you guys are okay."

"We were riding when we saw the smoke," said Hunter.

"Are you okay?" Blake asked.

Tori brushed the hair from her face and nodded. "Yeah, thanks," she murmured.

"What happened?" Hunter asked.

"I was listening in the car on the way here," said Kelly. "They think it was some kind of alien attack."

"Why, that sort of thing happen a lot around here?" Blake asked.

Kali shrugged as Kelly glanced her way. "Don't look at me, I fought demons not aliens," she said.

"We need to call someone - the police, the FBI, the CIA - Kali, what about your old team? Can't they help?" Kelly asked.

Kali hesitated.

"Well?" Kelly insisted.

"Most of my old team hung up their morphers after we destroyed the Master," said Kali. "They've moved on to other things. I haven't been in contact with them."

"Surely they'd come out of retirement to help protect the world again!" Kelly huffed.

Kali glanced at her friends.

"It's okay, Kelly, we're fine. But thanks," said Tori. She sighed heavily and glanced back at the others.

Kali held her hand out to Dustin. "We should get out of here," she said, pulling him to the top of the hill. "Just in case those alien freaks decide they're not done and come back."

"You're right," Kelly agreed.

As Kelly left the scene, Tori, Shane, and Dustin headed in the direction of Ninja Ops. Kali followed them, pausing and turning back to find Hunter and Blake staring after her. She narrowed her gaze at the pair and then left them behind.

"Are you sure you guys are alright?" Kali asked, catching up to the others.

"That was way harsh, man," Dustin sighed. "You know what? I think my Morpher's toast." He held up his arm and revealed his trashed Morpher strapped to his wrist.

Tori looked down at her own, a bubble of guilt growing in her stomach. "Cam's going to freak that we thrashed the Zords," she said.

"He already knows," said Kali. "We were watching on the monitors. But, he can't blame you for something that was out of your control, anyway."

**~X~**

Cam signed in frustration as he stared at the three destroyed Wind morphers in his possession. "Well, you've managed to reduce years of technological advance into a pile of scrap metal in a single afternoon, not to mention what you did to the Zords," he complained.

"It wasn't their fault, genius," Kali defended.

"Kali is right, Cam," Sensei added. "Besides, now is not the time for blame."

"I'm sorry. You're right," Cam conceded. "Thankfully, the auto-retreat allowed the reactors time to reset the holographic portals. I've engaged the self-reconstruct functions."

Kali wrapped an arm around Tori's shoulder and squeezed her firmly, as they followed Cam and Shane towards the computer. Dustin hung back, his face contorted in confusion and scratching his head. "Dude, I've got no idea what you just said," he admitted.

"They're fixing themselves," Cam explained.

"Oh! Ha, ha, ha, okay. Okay, right. Sweet," Dustin said, chuckling as he joined his friends. He flinched as Sensei leapt onto his head and landed near the monitor.

"Hey, Sensei, why didn't they finish us off?" Shane asked.

Kali perked up and glanced his way. "You're complaining about that?" she asked, stunned.

"No, obviously I'm glad to still be alive, but it does beg the question," said Shane.

"Those Zords they are were sicko, bro - uh, I mean, Sensei," said Dustin.

Kali smiled in amusement. Dustin reminded her more and more of Chip every day.

"Thunder Zords - created by the same technology that powers your own," Sensei explained, as Cam showed the Thunder Megazord on the monitors.

"And these Thunder Ninjas work for Lothor?" Tori asked. "That doesn't make sense."

"Yeah, no more than Zurgane booking out of there when they turned up," Shane agreed.

"It sounded like Zurgane was jealous that Lothor had two new toys to play with," said Kali. "And, speaking from experience, dissension does run through evil ranks."

Shane furrowed his brow.

"Imperious wanted to not only to rule the human and mystic realms, but he also wanted to rule the Underworld, too," said Kali. "He was willing to overthrow the Master to be the one in full control."

"Wasn't Imperious your father?" Dustin asked.

Kali's face darkened. "He's not my father!" she growled.

Dustin swallowed and quickly apologised.

"Fortunately, that dissension can be used to our advantage," said Sensei, steering the conversation out of dangerous waters. "When the time is right, of course."

The others nodded.

"I just feel helpless," said Tori, folding her arms. "There's got to be something we can do."

"For now you must return to your daily lives," said Sensei. "If Lothor suspects anything out of the ordinary, it will only give him more power."

"And be careful," Cam warned. "They've already stolen the tsunami cycle discs somehow. Whoever you speak to, make sure you trust them."

The team nodded.

**~X~**

Udonna looked surprised as the concealed door leading to the dragon's mouth opened and Kali entered Root Core. "Kali, is everything alright?" she asked.

"That depends on your definition," said Kali, taking the steps two at a time and approaching the bookcase. "Do you have any information on any other Ninja Academies?"

"If they fall within the Mystic Realm, then yes," said Udonna. "Which academy are you looking for?"

"Thunder Ninja."

Udonna sighed and shook her head. "Oh. I'm sorry to tell you this, Kali, but the Thunder Ninja Academy hasn't been a part of our world since the Great Battle," she explained.

Sliding a book back onto the shelf, Kali turned to her former mentor and cocked her head to the side. "How come?" she asked.

"They severed all ties with us after the Great Battle claimed may deaths on their grounds," said Udonna.

"But that could only happen if the Thunder Ninja Academy was based here in Briarwood."

Udonna nodded. "It once was," she confirmed. "The Mystic Knight Alroy stemmed from the Thunder Ninja Academy and was also the Lightning Mystic before Chip. When the Gate broke through the first time, it ruptured the foundation of the Thunder Ninja Academy, causing many casualties. Alroy left to help us, and never returned."

"And they blamed you?"

"Unfortunately, yes," said Udonna. "Of course, it was no one's fault, really, but grief makes people do and say terrible things. The Thunder Ninja Academy was so grief-stricken that they closed off all access to the Mystic Realm, and pretended we didn't exist. We, of course, tried many times to reach out, but they wanted nothing to do with us."

Kali hung her head. "Does the name Bradley mean anything to you?" she asked.

"Alroy's last name was Bradley," said Udonna.

Kali's eyes widened and then she gasped. "Oh! That's it!" she muttered. "It all makes sense, now." She hugged Udonna and rushed back to the door. "Thank you so much."

Udonna chuckled as Kali disappeared, and returned her cauldron.

**~X~**

"... I got your morphers, guys, and I think we're going to need them," said Tori, reaching into her bag. She jumped as Kali appeared out of thin air on her left, and she glared at the brunette.

"Sorry," Kali apologised. "Cam told me you were here. But, I didn't expect you to be _here_ here." She pointed at the ground beneath her feet.

"Where've you been?" Dustin asked. "You took off as soon as we left Ninja Ops, and through a tree, no less. Can you show me how you do that?"

Kali smiled. "Maybe later," she said. "Right now I've got information that you're going to want to hear. It's about the Thunder Ninja -" she broke off as she caught sight of Hunter and Blake over Shane's shoulder. "What are you guys stalking us now?" she asked.

"You're not exactly worth stalking, Briar," said Hunter. "After all, you said yourself that you didn't want the celebrity status that comes with being a known Power Ranger."

Kali rolled her eyes. "Whatever. At least my home doesn't abandon their friends in a time of _great_ need," she said.

Hunter clenched his jaw and glared at her.

Kali smirked.

Shane, Dustin, and Tori shared looks as Blake placed his hand on Hunter's arm. "We just wanted to thank you again, Tor," he said, turning his attention to the blonde surfer. "It means a lot that you'd risk your life for me."

"Hey, you risk your life for mine first," said Tori. "It wouldn't have been fair if I had just left you out to dry."

Kali furrowed her brow. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

"I was at the beach earlier when this giant front attacked," Tori explained. "Blake helped me and ended up on the wrong side of the alien's attack."

"How fortunate that he was there," said Kali, staring at Blake. He met her gaze with a hard look and locked his hands across his stomach.

"Yeah, I don't think I would've made it out if he hadn't have been there," said Tori.

Kali murmured but her gaze remained locked with Blakes.

"We owe you one, and we always make good on our promises," said Hunter, breaking the tension.

Tori smiled. "That's good to know, thanks," she said.

"We gotta get home," said Blake, his gaze still on Kali. "Parents - you know how it is."

"Yeah. Okay. I'll catch you later," said Tori, turning her back on the brothers.

Kali watched as Hunter and Blake walked away, and then turned her attention back to her friends once they had disappeared.

"Here," said Tori, handing the boys their morphers. "When you see Cam, say thank you. I think he's feeling a little unappreciated."

Dustin glanced over his shoulder, and then back at Shane. "Dude, they told Kelly they didn't live with their parents, right? I mean, that's what we heard," he said.

"Yeah, yeah, that's right," Shane agreed.

"It's kind of hard to live with your parents when they're dead," said Kali.

"Dead?" Tori repeated.

Kali nodded. "It's what I was trying to tell you before I noticed them eavesdropping," she said. "There was a Mystic Knight called Alroy Bradley, who stemmed from the Thunder Ninja Academy. He died during the Great Battle twenty-years ago."

"What's that got to do with Hunter and Blake?" Dustin asked, scratching his head.

Before Kali had a chance to explain, their morphers beeped, and Cam's voice echoed over the comms. "I've located that frog again," he said. "He's at the riverbank. Hurry!"

"Dude, if Cam wants a frog, they let's just stop by the pet store. I mean, they got, like, a tank, full of them," said Dustin.

Kali cocked her head to the side as she stared at Dustin. "You're lucky you're cute," she said. "Come on. I'll teleport us there, it'll be faster."

The others nodded and fell into formation.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! - Wind Ranger Power!"

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form! - Mystical Ranger Power!"

**~X~**

Kali struggled as a ball and chain wrapped itself around her waist and pulled her into the others. They each struggled to remove their binds but was no use. The balls were magnetically charged and wound tighter than a coil.

"Going up!" the frog laughed, lifting his arms into the air. The Rangers followed his path and were flung sideways into the river.

Beneath the surface, Kali closed her eyes and muttered a spell. She then felt herself rising and burst out of the water, landing on the bank beside her friends.

"Okay, guys, Ninja beams!" said Shane, levelling the frog with his Morpher and firing several red beams from the disc. The others followed suit, each beam hit the frog from different directions.

The frog cried out in surprise before disappearing into thin air.

"Huh? Where'd he go?" Shane asked.

Kali turned to her left, just as the frog bounced back into view. "You guys into hip-hop?" he asked, attacking as he hopped past. "Polytrons!" he spat out several tadpoles which attached themselves to the front of the rangers.

The tadpoles exploded and the rangers hit the ground.

"I am so glad Maddie's not here," Kali muttered, jumping to her feet and pulling her sword over her shoulder.

"Friendly, aren't they?" the frog laughed.

Thunder crashed overhead and two strands of lightning hit the ground behind the Rangers. They turned as the Navy and Crimson Rangers appeared.

"Like fighting a giant frog wasn't bad enough!" Dustin complained.

The Thunder Rangers pulled their thunder staffs over their shoulders and spun them up, above their heads and then down, towards the floor. With the second crash of lightning, the staffs elongated, and two pointed them at the Rangers.

"Attack!" the Thunders yelled, rushing forward.

Kali and the others raised their swords, ready to defend themselves, but the Thunders merely run between them and attacked the frog, instead.

"What?!" the quartet gasped.

"But I thought we were on the same team?!" the frog howled as he was hauled into the air. He landed on his feet a short distance away and turned back to the Thunders. "Polytrons!"

"Thunder shields!" the Thunder Rangers yelled, transforming their staffs into octagon-shaped shields with crimson and navy reflective cores. The Polytrons bounced off and hit the ground where they sparked and fizzled out.

With the frog gearing up for another attack, the Thunders transformed their shields back into a staff, and the twisted it around to form a star-shape. They swung the star over each shoulder as it sparked with an electrical current, which they then unleashed on the unsuspecting amphibian.

"Crimson Blaster!"

"Navy Antler!"

Kali watched as the Navy ranger launched himself into the air, and grabbed the frog around the middle with his weapon. He hoisted the frog up, causing him to writhe in pain as lightning coursed through him. He then tossed him aside, right into the path of the Crimson Ranger.

"That didn't hurt!" the frog laughed.

"How about this?" the Crimson ranger asked, opening fire on the frog. He howled as he was launched through the air, again.

"Let's put it together!" the Thunders announced, combining both their weapons to make a blaster.

As the frog finally made it back to his feet, the Thunders unleashed an energy ball which collided with him, causing him to explode.

"I don't get it!" said Shane, shaking his head. "What's up with you guys?"

"Why did you just help us?" Tori asked.

"Hello? Anybody in there?" Dustin called.

But the Thunders kept walking.

"We're even, Wind Rangers," the Crimson Ranger growled as they passed.

Kali took a deep breath.

As a shadow fell over them, the team looked up and were not surprised to find a giant frog bearing down on them. "I haven't croaked yet, Rangers!" he bellowed.

"See you back at Ops," said Kali, turning to the others. They nodded and called on their Zords, as Kali disappeared with a flicker of magic.

**~X~**

Kali jogged into Ops. "Hey, Cam, we got to find a way -" she broke off as she spotted the Thunder Rangers holding Cam near the monitors. She clenched her hands and glared at them. "As if abandoning the Mystic Realm isn't bad enough, you switch sides, too?" she spat. "Where exactly does the honour of the Thunder Academy lie?"

"Don't speak about honour to us, witch," said the Navy Ranger. "Your home destroyed ours. Destroyed our lives, our family!"

"Alroy was doing his job," Kali argued. "He was a Mystic Knight. He fell in battle."

"He fell in battle protecting you!" the Crimson ranger hissed. "Yeah, we know our history, too. You got to have a life, with people who loved you, while the people who loved us were gone for good."

Kali shook her head. "What do you want?" she asked.

"What we want is simple," said the Crimson ranger. "We want our lives back."

"Then he can't help you," said Kali, shaking her head at Cam. "He's human."

"We're not here for him," said the Navy Ranger. "He's bait."

"For you," added the Crimson Ranger. "We'll let him go, but on one condition. You come with us."

Kali glared at the two Rangers and then met Cam's gaze. She sighed and relaxed. "Fine. Just let him go," she said.

"No, Kali, you can't!" Cam protested.

Cam stumbled as the Crimson Ranger shoved him aside and turned back to Kali. "Leave your Morpher here," he said, eying her wrist,

Kali removed her Ninja Morpher and set it on the table.

"And your Mystic Morpher," the Navy Ranger added.

Kali rolled her eyes and fished her old Morpher out of her pocket, setting it on the table beside her new one. "You think that leaving them behind is going to stop me from using magic?" she asked.

"No, but these will," the Crimson Ranger held up a set of handcuffs. He strode forward and tightened them around Kali's wrist, and instantly she felt a sickly feeling wash over her.

"What are these?" Kali asked.

"Their magic dampening cuffs," the Crimson Ranger answered, locking them in place. "They'll prevent you from using any form of magic, from your darkness wave to teleporting. You'll be, for a lack of a better word, _human_."

Kali glared at him. "If Alroy knew what you were doing," she said, shaking her head.

"He'd be proud," said the Crimson Ranger, grasping her chin with his fingers. "Now, stop talking about him. You don't have the right." He tugged her by the arm over to the Navy Ranger, only to pause at the sound of voices and footsteps coming from outside Ops.

Kali's eyes widened as she realised the others had returned. "I'm doing what you ask," she whispered. "Please don't hurt them."

The Thunders scoffed and turned held her between them just as the others entered Ops. Shane caught sight of the first and instantly fell into a defensive pose with Dustin and Tori following.

"What are you doing here?" Shane asked.

The Thunders demorphed and the Wind Rangers regrouped, staring in disbelief at the Bradley brothers.

"How did you get in here?" Dustin asked.

"Ask her," Hunter said, nodding at Tori.

Tori frowned and glanced at Blake. "You used me?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"I'm sorry," Blake apologised. "But we had to find the Ninja Ops. I didn't mean to use you."

Kali scoffed.

Shane caught Kali's eye. "What do you want with her?" he asked.

"You have no idea how valuable your friend here, is," said Hunter. "If there is anything left once we've finished with her, we're handing her over to Lothor."

Kali swallowed. Sure, she had planned to coax Lothor to come to get her to open the Abyss of Evil, but she hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

"If you hurt her, I will hunt you down," Tori swore.

This time, Hunter scoffed. "Good luck finding her," he taunted. "Goodbye, Rangers, and good luck in your future battles."

As Hunter and Blake raised their morphers up and then swung them back towards the ground, Kali met her teammates gaze and mouthed 'Hellhound' before she, along with the brothers, disappeared in a crash of thunder.


	6. Thunder Strangers, Part IIIg

Kali stumbled as Hunter shoved her ahead of him and Blake. They were trailing through the forest, somewhere in Blue Bay Harbour, but far enough from civilisation. In a way, Kali was glad there was no one around, it meant fewer people to get hurt; but, on the flip side, it meant that she was alone with two brothers who wanted her dead.

"When we get to the cavern," said Hunter. "We'll use the Gem to take control of the Hellhound. Then we'll open the gate, find Mum and Dad, and bring them back."

"What if we can't?" Blake asked. "Bring them back, I mean."

"She's the Hellhound, she can do it."

Kali stopped and turned to face the brothers. "Is that why you want me?" she asked. "To resurrect your parents?"

"Don't look so surprised," Hunter said. "You've done it before."

"I've raised the gates before, but never resurrected anyone," Kali said.

"Those two terrors were dead - Itassis and Matoombo - you brought them back," said Blake.

Kali shook her head. "You know, for two people who claim to know their mystical history, you're completely stupid," she snapped. "The Hellhound cannot resurrect any spirits. My sole responsibility is to protect them and stop them from escaping back into this world."

"But the terrors -" Blake started.

"You need a Vampire Queen to bring back the dead," said Kali. "We dethroned her two months ago. I'm sorry that Alroy is dead, but he did it protecting his home."

"NO!" Hunter yelled. "He died protecting you. The Hellhound. I remember what he said to me the night he left - 'look after your brother. I'll be home soon.' - but he never came back. Neither of them did." He shoved her back, causing her to trip.

Kali hissed as she hit the ground. Pain spasmed up her spinal cord and she blood pooled across her mouth as she bit her tongue.

"Easy, bro," said Blake. "She's no good to us dead."

Hunter grunted and pulled Kali back to her feet, turned her to face forward and shoved her to get her walking. "You helped bring back the dead before, you can do it again," he said. "I don't care what it costs."

Ignoring the jolts of pain as she walked, Kali looked towards the skies and sighed inwardly. If someone can hear me. I need help, she thought.

**~X~**

"Where are we?" Dustin asked whilst looking around the immediate area. The forest he was in was nothing like Blue Bay Harbour. It was dark and dingy looking, and the air seemed thicker than normal.

"You're in the thick of the Mystic Realm," Sensei explained from Cam's shoulder. "We are here seeking help on how to find Kali."

"I've never been to the Mystic Realm before," said Tori.

"Is it always this eerie?" Shane asked. He looked around as the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.

Tori rolled her eyes. "Still a baby, I see," she teased.

"Like you don't feel it."

"What you feel is magic," said Sensei. "It's all around us. The deeper into the forest you go, the thicker the magic seems. We're almost there."

"Almost where?" Dustin asked.

"The Mystics call it Root core," Sensei answered. "Now, enough with the questions. There will be time for that later."

They walked a few more steps in silence. Turning a large oak tree, the group stopped at the sight of a giant dragon standing guard next to a dragon-shaped tree stump.

"Whoa!" Dustin breathed, his eyes widening.

The dragon reared back onto its hind legs, roared and shot a stream of fire into the air. The ground quaked as it dropped back down onto four legs, and lowered its snout to the group of Ninjas, its teeth overlapping and sticking out of the corner of his lips.

"Nice dragon," Dustin mumbled. "Good boy."

"Fireheart, heal!"

The group looked up as an older man appeared from behind the dragon. He was of stout build, with dark skin and short curly black hair. He smiled gently at them and patted the dragon's hide until it calmed down.

"You must be Daggeron," said Sensei.

Daggeron nodded. "Rune said we were expecting company," he said. "She's out collecting ingredients with Udonna and Leanbow. Please, come in, the others are already inside."

"Others?" Shane echoed.

"Inside?" Dustin asked.

Daggeron smiled and gestured to the dragon-shaped tree behind him. The dragon's head had been opened wide, and its snout pointing towards the sky, inside the Ninjas could make out a doorway, and the faint sound of voices beyond.

"Oh!" Dustin breathed.

Leading the way forward, Cam stepped through the dragon's mouth with his father, and the others followed behind him. Daggeron patted Fireheart once again and stepped in behind them. As the dragon's mouth closed the panel door glided upwards, and the Ninja's stepped through into a wooden treehouse.

At the circular table in the centre of the room, sat four other people. Dustin recognised them instantly as the Mystic Force Power Rangers.

**~X~**

The trio stopped as a low growl echoed throughout the trees. Kali felt a shiver run down her spine and had to suppress a groan as she felt the familiar stirrings of the Hellhound in the pit of her stomach. Not long after they had left Ninja Ops, Kali had figured out that while the Thunders had suppressed her magical abilities, the cuffs around her wrists didn't stop the Hellhound, but then, she figured they were banking on that.

"I don't know about you, bro, but I'm not digging this place," said Blake. The edge in his voice conveyed his feelings of fear.

"Don't be such a baby," said Hunter.

Kali rolled her eyes. "You're brother's right to be scared," she said. "There are spirits here of the darkest warriors the world has ever seen. Spirits that don't belong even in the Spirit World."

"Quiet!" Hunter snapped, jabbing her between the shoulder blades. "We know what we're doing."

Kali scoffed. "I'm pretty sure Alroy would be disappointed in your course of actions," she said. "I didn't know him, but my mother did. She said he was a good man, a good warrior, and he would've done everything and anything in his power to protect his family. He wouldn't want you taking revenge on someone that has done you no harm."

"He was a good man," said Hunter, grabbing her arm and forcing her to face him. "He took us in and gave us lives. Treated us as his own. Then, one night, he was taken from us. You took him from us."

Kali shook her head. "I had no control over the battle," she said. "Don't you think if I had, it would have happened? I lost family that day, too."

"You got your family back," said Blake. "Your mother, Daggeron, even Leanbow. They were all saved. But not our parents."

"You don't get it," said Kali, tears forming in her eyes.

"We get it just fine," said Hunter. He spun her back around, "Keep walking. We're almost there."

Kali took a deep breath and continued forward. It was easier to do as they asked than it was to fight. With the cuffs around her wrists there was very little she could do in terms of escaping, she could fight, but it was two against one, she'd lose. Instead, she resigned herself to following orders, at least until the time came to remove the cuffs, then she would make her move.

**~X~**

With the introductions out of the way and Dustin over his little fanboy episode, the two teams got to work searching for Kali. Despite the Ninjas explaining the power dampening cuffs that the Thunders had placed on Kali, Xander insisted on trying to search for her using magic, but, as expected, the results came back negative.

"I was hoping that the cuffs would give off some sort of signal we could trace," said Cam. "But, I have searched for every way I know-how. There is nothing. They've covered their tracks."

"That may be true," said Eithne. "But there is always a bread crumb somewhere. What do you remember before the Thunders left with Kali? Did she say or do anything that could help us?"

Shane perked up. "Right before they disappeared, she mouthed Hellhound," he said. "It could be nothing."

"Or everything," said Eithne. "What do you three know about the legend of the Hellhound?"

Shane and Dustin shook their heads.

"I know it's a guardian," said Tori. "But that's about it."

Eithne nodded and headed for the Root core library. She returned shortly thereafter carrying a large leather-bound book. "I started this history lesson with Kali, but she lost interest quite quickly. I learned later that she prefers to study alone and in silence rather than with a teacher, of course, combat training is different, and she seeks a teacher then, but that's beside the point." She waved the air dismissively and leafed through the book.

Shane, Tori, and Dustin glanced at Nick, Vida, and Xander causing them to chuckle.

"There are many legends concerning the Hellhound, and all of them different," Eithne continued. "But, there is one little fact that never changes - and that is the role of the Hellhound. In every story, it states that the Hellhound guards the entrance to Hades, a misty and gloomy Underworld in which spirits of the dead are permitted to enter but none are allowed to leave."

"How does that help us find her?" Shane asked. "The Hellhound may be real, but that doesn't mean the gates to Hades are."

"You'd be surprised what is real and what isn't," said Nick. "Kali and I were once non-believers, but all that changed when we became Rangers and learned the truth." He turned his attention to Eithne. "If I remember correctly, there are several hotspots worldwide that are considered the origins to the gates of Hades, right?"

"The River Styx forms a boundary line between Earth and the Underworld, and it is believed that this river cuts through several territories, linking up all hotspots leading to Hades," said Eithne. "If you were to travel to each hotspot, you would find an institution guarding it - The Shadow Lands in Mariner Bay is protected by the Lightspeed Rescue Rangers, the Nighlok Heaven is protected by the Samurai Rangers - however, there are four big hotspots that have vastly more power than the others. One of which is located in Blue Bay Harbour. It's the only place where both Ninja Spirits and Mystic Spirits co-exist."

"The Mountain of Lost Ninjas," said Sensei.

Eithne nodded.

"Oh, wait, isn't that where all those freaky ninja ghost dudes are?" Dustin asked.

"So, you do study your Ninja history," said Cam, surprised.

"Yeah, sometimes," Dustin replied.

Cam rolled his eyes. "Then you should know that the Mountain of Lost Ninjas is where the Cavern of Spirits is," he said.

"Which houses the Gem of Souls," Tori interrupted. "It's the only thing on Earth that's powerful enough to bring back the dead. But it can only do that when the gates are open, and the Hellhound is present."

"That's got to be what the Thunders are after," said Vida.

Shane looked around at his friends. "Then I guess that is where we're going," he said.

**~X~**

Kali stared across the thrashing waters at the cavern on the other side of the beach. Even from where she stood she could feel the heaviness of the spirits inside, the Hellhound was writhing around inside its cage, begging to be released. But for what reasons, Kali wasn't sure. Did the Hellhound see these spirits as escaping the Underworld without permission? Would it attack on sight?

"There's still time to back out, you know," said Kali. "The spirits can sense our presence, and they aren't happy."

"Quiet," said Hunter. "The Gem of Souls will take care of you."

Kali shook her head. "When are you going to get it through your head? I can't resurrect the dead!" she argued. "I told you, you need a Vampire Queen, and she no longer exists. She's human now!"

"The Gem of Souls can restore life to a spirit," said Blake. "But it can't do it without the Hellhound. That's why you're here. When you touch the Gem, everything will start to work and our parents will come back."

"Or it'll just backfire, kill me and your parents will be well and truly lost forever," said Kali.

"We'll take that risk," said Hunter. "Move."

Kali sighed and stumbled down the sandbank. She had barely reached the water's edge when a deep, rough growl whipped around her like the wind. She shivered and groaned.

"What was that?" Blake asked.

"Didn't you realise a place like this would be protected?" Kali asked. "It's like I said before, there are spirits here that don't belong in the Spirit World. Evil Ninjas and Mystics have that passed on, ones that would stop at nothing to corrupt the Spirit World and use it to power their agendas. By bringing me here, you've given them direct access to the gates," she glanced at Hunter and glared. "Well done."

Hunter and Blake took a surprising step backward as a small army of warriors appeared in their path, blocking off their access to the Cavern. Half of them were dressed in Ninja garb while the other half wore armour and cloaks. Kali noticed a faint mystic symbol on the nearest cloak, and she swallowed nervously.

"Still positive you want to do this?" Kali asked Hunter.

Hunter glared but pulled her behind him nonetheless. "Ready?" he asked Blake.

"Ready!"

"Thunder Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Thunder."

Kali watched as the brothers rushed the lost souls, all of which had seemingly forgotten she was there. She could've run, but something was keeping her rooted to the spot, and if the howling in her ears was anything to go by, she'd have guessed the Hellhound. It was yearning to cross the seas, to enter the Cavern, and meet the lost souls inside.

But why? Kali thought. Shouldn't the Hellhound have wanted to be anywhere by here right now? Why was it hell-bent on being used to open the gates and bring back two dead spirits, especially when doing so could drain it of its energy and kill her?

_It's the Hellhound._

_Why is she here?_

_Has she come to help us?_

Kali blinked as the voices inside her head grew louder and louder. She looked around, noticing that she was no longer outside the dim, watery sunlight, but rather inside the gloomy cavern. In the centre of the room, glowing luminous green against the black backdrop was a small jagged gem. It seemed to grow rapidly in colour as she grew closer.

_Careful. The Hellhound isn't always there to help, remember?_

_That's right. It could devour us, thinking we're trying to escape._

Looking around, Kali tried to pinpoint the source of the whispers, but she couldn't see any lingering spirits. She understood fairly well that they were masters of hiding in plain sight, and while not every spirit in the cavern were Ninjas, those that were could hide with the shadows.

"Who's there?" Kali asked. "Show yourself."

_We do not trust you, Hellhound._

Kali shook her head. "Alroy, can you hear me?" she asked, sweeping her gaze from left to right. "Alroy Bradley? Thunder Ninja and Lightning Mystic."

"Trying to convince him to not help us?" Hunter asked, appearing behind her with Blake.

Kali turned around and glared. "I'm trying to get him to talk sense into you," she said. "You won't listen to me when I say that I can't bring him back, but maybe you'll listen to him."

"What makes you think he'd agree with you?" Blake asked. "He didn't want to die during the Great Battle."

"No one wants to die," said Kali. "But it happens. My mother lost her brother that day, meaning I lost an Uncle. Your father wasn't the only Knight that gave his life that day, the Mystic Knight of Darkness, Air, and Earth died too. What about their families? They haven't come looking for revenge."

"That's their loss," said Hunter.

Kali shook her head. "Don't you think I have already beaten myself up over all the losses that day?" she asked. "Don't you even think I've blamed myself? But the darkness would've attacked the Mystic Realm regardless of if I had been born. Besides, they weren't after me because I was the Hellhound. They wanted me for my connection to the darkness."

"It still doesn't change what happened after," said Hunter. "You survived, our parents didn't."

"You know I'm not going to survive this."

"I'm willing to pay that price," said Hunter. "After all, an eye for an eye is fair game."

**~X~**

"Take it!"

"No."

"I said take it!"

"You can yell at me all you want, but I won't take the Gem," said Kali.

Hunter growled and paced behind the podium. He knew that he couldn't touch the gem until after the Hellhound had, which made this part of the ritual the most frustrating. A living victim was always the most uncooperative, and Kali Briar had to be the most stubborn of women he had ever met.

"If you don't do as he says, it'll be worse for you," said Blake.

Kali glanced at the younger Bradley and shrugged. "I may not fully understand what is happening here, but seeing how desperate your brother is in me taking it, I can tell it'll be bad," she said. "Therefore, I am obligated to not touch it, and, if either of you could force me to touch it, you would've done it by now. Meaning, whatever happens next has to be done willingly."

"Just help us get our parents back," said Blake. "That's all we want. We'd help you if you asked."

"And therein lies the differences in our approaches," said Kali. "I would've given you a choice. If you had said no, I would've found a different way. But you didn't ask for my help, you threatened my friends and abducted me."

Blake threw his hands up into the air in frustration, while Hunter growled as he continued to pace.

"Do you have a death wish?" Blake asked.

"From where I am standing, you're the one with a death wish," Kali said. "Didn't Alroy teach you that all actions have consequences? Well, guess, what? These are yours. You need me to willingly touch the Gem, but the consequences of your actions mean I'm not in the helping mood. You either force me to do it, which, I am guessing will endanger your life, or you let me go."

"If we let you go then we'll never see our parents again," said Blake, shaking his head.

"Then show me a gesture of good faith," said Kali. "Remove the cuffs." She turned back to Hunter. "If you give me back my magic, I'll open the gates without the Gem. I'll find your parents, you can speak to them, but I am telling the truth when I say that I cannot bring them back."

Hunter glared at Kali and then shook his head. "No. You're trying to trick us," he said. "I won't fall for it. If you won't do it, then I'll take the risk." He grabbed the Gem of Souls and lunged across the podium at Kali.

"HUNTER!"

"NO!"

A gust of wind ripped around the cavern as Hunter forced the Gem of Souls into Kali's hands. She twitched and writhed on the floor, her whole body spasming and wriggling as if an electrical current was running throughout her. Hunter tried to release the gem and pull away, but found that he couldn't, it felt like the Gem was sucking him in like a vortex.

Then, Kali stopped moving and tossed back her head. Her eyes snapped open, revealing nothing by inky blackness, and she let out a loud howl followed closely by a gruesome roar. The wind died down and a shimmery gate appeared on the opposite side of the cavern.

"It worked," Blake murmured, looking up at the stone doorway.

"That's enough, Hunter."

The group looked around as two forms materialised in front of the gates. They were wearing white cloaks with hoods covering their faces.

"Who are you?" Shane asked.

The two figures lowered their hoods, causing Hunter and Blake to gasp.

"Mom, Dad? How did you -?" Hunter started.

"She summoned us, remember?" Alroy asked, nodding at Kali.

"Using her won't bring us back," said Mrs Bradley.

"But the Gem can," said Blake. "We were told it could. How to do it. We can bring you back."

"You've been misinformed, sweetheart," said Mrs Bradley. "The Gem holds souls, it doesn't resurrect them. Whoever told you it could, has been lying to you."

Blake glanced at Hunter.

"Take the Gem away from her, Hunter, close the gates before it's too late," said Alroy. "There are forces here that can cause great damage to them."

Hunter glanced down at the Gem fused between his and Kali's hands. He hesitated, if he let go, would his parents disappear?

"This is the Mountain of Lost Ninjas," said Alroy. "We'll be here for all eternity."

"Kali can send you somewhere safe," said Nick, interrupting. "She can send you to the Spirit World."

Alroy smiled faintly at him. "I am glad you and Maeve managed to survive the Great Battle, Bowen. But we are needed here." He turned his attention back to his sons. "It's alright. Let her go."

Hunter released the sigh he had been holding, and carefully withdrew the Gem from Kali's palm. The gate disappeared instantly.

Kali moaned faintly and Hunter stepped away from her as Nick rushed forward. He pulled her into his arms and cradled her head to his chest. Kali's eyes fluttered and she smiled up at her best friend before she closed them again with a sigh.

"They're fading," said Hunter, his voice breaking,

"No, No, wait, come back!" Blake pleaded.

"We'll always be looking after you," Mrs Bradley said.

"Make us proud," Alroy echoed.

Hunter clenched the Gem in his hands as his parents disappeared completely from sight. "Come back," he whispered.

"What a sight... the Thunder Rangers crying for the Mummy."

Vida and Xander spun around, startled by the sound of an unfamiliar voice in the doorway to the cavern. The others followed their lead, with Nick lifting Kali into his arms as he stood up.

"It was you all along," Hunter said, pushing past the others to face Lothor. "You lied to us."

"Not the brightest bulbs on the tree, are you?" Lothor taunted. "Now give me the girl," he nodded at Kali. "Unlike yourselves, I intend to use her for my business."

"If you want her, you're going to have to take her," said Shane.

"Alright," said Lothor.

Tori scoffed. "Uh, hello? Lots of us, and one of you," she said. "How do you expect to fight those odds?"

Lothor rolled his eyes. "Oh, please," he said, raising his fist and firing an energy blast at them.

"Get back!" Hunter yelled, throwing himself in front of the group and raising his hand. The beam hit his palm and bounced back, striking Lothor in the chest.

Lothor howled as he disappeared.

"What just happened?" Xander asked, looking confused.

"Dude, you nailed Lothor," said Dustin, staring in surprise at Hunter.

"How did you do that?" Shane asked.

Hunter looked down at the gem in his hands. "The Gem of Souls... it's broken," he said, shaking his head. "I used it to protect us, but it shattered."

"That's bad, right?" Dustin asked.

"If the voices in my head are anything to go by, it doesn't matter either way," Kali croaked.

The group turned to Nick and found Kali laying on his shoulder, her eyes open. She smiled weakly around at them all and then met Hunter's gaze. "The power of the Gem can never be destroyed," she explained. "Whether it's one whole piece or six different pieces, it doesn't alter its power."

"Speaking of power, what happened to Lothor?" Tori asked.

"I don't think he's finished with us yet," said Kali.

"What did he want with you?" Shane asked.

Kali sighed and met Shane's gaze. "I'm sorry, Shane," she murmured. "But I don't think I'm the right person to tell you that."


	7. Nowhere to Grow

"Shouldn't you be resting?"

Kali shrugged and took a seat beside Cam's monitor.

"You're not going to heal if you don't rest," said Cam, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"Bed rest doesn't mean confined to the bed," said Kali, biting back a yawn.

"I'm pretty sure it does," Cam argued. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a bottle of medication. "Rune dropped these off earlier. She said they'd help with any pains, internal or otherwise."

"Thanks," Kali murmured, stuffing the bottle into her pocket. "What you working on?" she added, peering at the screen.

"A new zord."

Kali raised an eyebrow. "What kind of Zord?" she asked.

"A Hellhound Zord."

"Because I can't access my titan form."

Cam nodded. "I've been talking with Eithne about the restrictions, and she's informed me that your titan form is you. So any attacks would result in your personnel being hurt. We want to avoid that as much as possible, so I've been working on some new technology that will tap into your Mystic Titan form but generate an actual Zord, instead," he explained.

"Well, if anyone can do it, you can," said Kali.

Cam smiled.

A comfortable silence fell between them as Cam continued to work and Kali watched him; on a normal occasion, Cam would have prefered to work alone, having someone watch over his shoulder was nerve-wracking, especially considering most company - like Dustin - would be asking him questions along the way, but Kali just sat quietly. He also enjoyed her company. Being stuck at Ops all day, every day on his own was tedious.

Suddenly the computer beeped, startling them both.

"I thought flowers were supposed to be beautiful," said Kali.

"I guess it depends on your point of view," said Cam.

Kali smiled and shrugged. "Never been a flower girl, to be honest," she said. "Wait, what are those?" she pointed at, what appeared to be, two seeds on the ground where the monster had been. It had now fled, and the Rangers were about to pursue.

"Have them return to Ops, immediately," said Sensei.

Cam nodded and contacted the others.

Sensei, meanwhile, turned to Kali. "You should be resting," he said, sternly.

"Yes, Sensei," said Kali. She slipped from the desk and disappeared down the hall to her new room.

**~X~**

When Kali awoke the next day, she realised that it was late afternoon and she'd slept for more than 12 hours. Still in a little pain from her encounter with the Thunders, despite it being almost a week ago, Kali dragged herself from her bed and wandered out into Ninja Ops. She hesitated at the doorway as she spotted Cam and Sensei in a heated exchange.

"...I'm disappointed in you, Cam," Sensei said, sighing heavily.

Kali frowned and stepped back into the darkened hallway. She felt guilty for eavesdropping, but she had missed a lot that day and was curious has to what Cam had done against Sensei's wishes.

"How did you know?" Cam asked.

"I'm a Ninja Master and your father," Sensei said. "Not a good combination if you're trying to pull a fast one. Son, I always knew this day would come. It's in your blood."

"I have nothing against Shane or Tori or Dustin. They've come a long way, but I know I could help," said Cam. "Not just in here, but out there."

"As a Power Ranger, perhaps?"

"Yes. As a Power Ranger," Cam said, an edge to his voice. "I don't see why you can't -"

"Cam, you could be the bravest ranger of them all," Sensei interrupted.

"Then why didn't you choose me?" Cam scoffed.

"I am forbidden by a promise that was made many years ago," Sensei answered.

"A promise? To who?"

"When your mother fell ill, I swore to protect you from harm. She knew only too well that a Ninja's life is one of constant danger," Sensei explained.

"You made that promise when I was a helpless child," Cam argued.

"There is nothing more sacred than a promise made to a loved one."

Kali looked away, her mind flashing to Eithne and the promises she must've made to Calindor the day of the Great Battle. But as her heart ached at the idea, anger boiled in her veins at the revelation that Calindor had made his own promises but broke them nonetheless.

"... she would want me to fulfil my potential," Cam argued, his voice growing steadier by the second.

"Unfortunately, we will never know," Sensei said softly. "I'm sorry."

Despite looking like he wanted to argue some more, Cam resigned himself and turned away. He turned the corner into the hall faster than Kali could react and stopped short as he found himself face-to-face with her, although he didn't look angry, if anything, he looked sad, and Kali could tell it was from the conversation with his dad.

"How much of that did you hear?" Cam asked.

"Enough."

Cam nodded and brushed past her.

Kali licked her lips, sighed and leaned against the wall. Cam didn't have to angry at her for hearing the discussion, but she could tell that he wished she hadn't.

**~X~**

"Cam for Shane! Cam for Shane!"

Kali hurried into Ops, pulling on her jacket as she turned the corner and spotted Cam and Sensei at the monitors. On the screen, she could see a giant flower, similar to the one from last night, overtaking the botanical garden and also how the weeds had caught Dustin and Tori.

"The others are in trouble!"

_"I'm on my way!"_

"Tell him I'll meet him there," said Kali, heading for the exit.

"No," said Sensei. "You're not fully healed yet."

Kali bit back a groan and turned to face the rodent. "They need help," she protested. "Besides, what happened with the Thunders wasn't the first time. I've lost a lot of energy fight creatures before, and I was still ready for the next battle."

"Maybe so, but this is different," said Sensei. "Your inner spirit was damaged by the Gem of Souls. Both your body and core need time to heal."

"But -"

"My decision is final, you shall stay here."

Kali huffed and shed her jacket, tossing it onto the table as she approached Cam. She knew Sensei was right, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

"What? It didn't even make a dent!" Shane complained. He had fired his hawk blaster at the tentacle holding Tori, but it refused to break.

"Shane's down!" Cam said as the red ranger was knocked aside by a thick vine. He took a second to catch his breath and then called in, asking for help.

"Let me - HEY!" Kali yelled, clenching her fist as, as if appearing from nowhere, a vine wrapped itself around her wrist and yanked her back.

Abandoning the computer, Cam rushed over to try and help but was kept away as the vines created a wall between him and Kali.

"Sensei!" Kali yelled as a second vine then crept up on the rodent, wrapped around his tiny body, and hoisted him into the air.

"These are some vicious vines!" Cam said, fighting off the vines as he tried to reach for his father. Unfortunately, he was kept just out of reach.

" _ **Sol Inspiratione**_!" Kali called, pointing her Mystic Morpher at the vines. They shrunk away from her but didn't break.

"Kali, don't use your magic!" Sensei warned. "You aren't strong enough!"

"I have to do something!" Kali argued. "I can't just ... " she trailed off as she tried to fight off more vines wrapping around her legs and stomach.

Untangling himself from the weeds, Cam made it back to the computer. "It says here until Shane destroys the primary plant, we won't be able to stop its offspring!"

"Cam, look out!" Kali yelled, pointing her mystic Morpher at the genius. " _ **Sol Inspiratione**_!" The vines shrank back, just enough for Cam to contact Shane and explain the plan, it then wrapped itself around Cam's wrist and pulled him back. Kali raised her mystic Morpher again but it was knocked from her hand by a second vine.

"Woah!" Sensei cried out as the vines around him disappeared. He hit the floor, bounced back up and flipped onto the table. Kali, on the other hand, landed on her stomach near her mystic Morpher. She grabbed it and then rolled into a sitting position.

"Now I definitely dislike flowers," Kali grumbled.

Cam laughed and turned back to the monitors. "Good job, Shane. Everyone okay there?" he asked.

" _Yeah, Cam, we're fine. Thanks to you_."

Kali smiled faintly as she slipped across the floor towards the table, propping herself up on the side with her elbow. "You may not be a Power Ranger, Genius," she said, groggily. "But without you, none of us would be here."

"You would," said Cam, turning away from the computer.

Kali scoffed and shook her head. "No, I wouldn't," she said. "Today proved that my magic doesn't always have the intended effect on these things," she shrugged. "It's your technology that makes all the difference. You should be proud. I am."

Cam smiled slightly and turned back to the monitor as the others called for the Zords.

**~X~**

"Aw, come on, Sensei," Shane groaned.

"We never would've found those seeds if we hadn't have been out late," Tori said, justifiably.

"I have taken that into consideration," Sensei said, nodding. "Nonetheless, breaking rules cannot go unnoticed. Everyone, 10-mile jog, please."

Kali bit back a laugh, but couldn't hide the amused look on her face as the others moaned and groaned about the weather and temperature outside of Ops. While this morning she would've killed to get outside, she was now kind of glad that she hadn't.

"I said everyone," said Sensei, as Cam remained behind while the others left.

Cam's grin dropped. "Me?" he asked. "What did I do?"

"What, you mean besides sneaking out, fighting kelzaks, and disobeying direct orders?" Kali asked, ticking off Cam's misdemeanours on her fingers.

Cam glared at her.

"You're lucky he's not making you run ten miles for each one," said Kali, grinning.

"How old does someone have to be to do whatever they want?" Cam asked his father.

"No one has ever lived that long, Cam," Sensei answered. "Now go."

Cam huffed and turned to Kali. "What about her?" he asked.

"I haven't disobeyed direct orders today, nor was I out late last night," Kali defended. "Despite my growing claustrophobia about being stuck down here for the duration of my healing process, and my inability to listen to rules, I've been pretty good."

"Dad gave you an order earlier to not use your magic, but you did anyway," said Cam. "Remember?"

"He is right," Sensei said, bobbing his head.

"I'm still injured, remember?" Kali defended.

"Which is why you must be extra careful," said Sensei. "Go. When you return, Cam, we will discuss your future training."

Cam cocked his head to the side. "Training? But what about your promise?" he asked.

"There are other ways besides that of the Ninja," said Sensei.

Grinning, Cam turned to Kali and faltered, his grin slipped and he looked sheepish under her glare. "I'm sorry?" he offered.

"Yeah, you're going to be," said Kali, leading him out of Ops.


	8. Snip it, Snip it Good

Kali glanced from her left to her right. She was standing between Shane and Tori inside Ninja Ops while Cam set a simulation up for them. This would be her first lesson in Ninja training since coming to Blue Bay Harbour, and while she was intrigued, she was also slightly nervous. Her new friends had years on her in terms of training.

"Remember, a Ninja's greatest enemy is himself," Sensei said, just before four replicas of themselves appeared before the Rangers. "You may begin."

Kali groaned inwardly. "I wasn't fussed the last time I faced myself," she grumbled, thinking back to her battle with Hekatoid's clones.

"No, wait, I got it," said Dustin. "Ninja stare contest, right?"

His clone merely grinned.

"Uh, maybe we're supposed to fight?" Shane suggested.

Kali glanced at Tori. "I don't know about you, but I don't want to find out how strong I am," she said.

Tori chewed her lower lip. "Honestly? I don't think that's what Sensei meant," she said. "This is a test, yes, but I don't think it's a test of strength."

"Well, you don't need to be a Ninja to be an enemy to yourself," said Kali, shrugging. "I mean, doesn't the saying go that you're your own worst enemy?"

Tori nodded.

"Could that be it?"

Looking back at her clone, Tori cocked her head to the side. "Fighting ourselves is not the answer, right?" she asked.

Tori's clone winked and disappeared.

Kali scoffed a laugh and looked back her own hologram. It grinned and disappeared, too.

As two of the four clones disappeared, Dustin and Shane had already started to fight amongst themselves. For a while, it seemed they had the upper hand, but things quickly turned south and the simulation ended with the clones gaining the upper hand on their living counterparts.

"Why is it so hard for guys to follow directions?" Tori asked as Kali laughed.

"Tougher than I thought I was," Shane grumbled, rubbing his shoulder.

"Can't believe I kicked my own butt," Dustin agreed, clutching his side.

Kali rolled her eyes. "Pretty sure you missed the point of the exercise," she said, helping them both back to their feet.

"Congratulations, girls'," said Sensei, hopping up onto the library barrier.

Shane and Dustin scoffed.

"What?" Shane asked.

"But they didn't do anything," said Dustin.

"Precisely," Sensei said. "He who battles himself can never emerge victoriously."

"Ninja Basics 101," Cam pointed out.

"Oh, Yeah, right, I must've been sick that day," said Dustin.

Kali rolled her eyes.

"Sometimes, caution is what wins the day," Sensei explained. "This is why it will be Kali and Tori who seek the Jade Turtle."

"Do I have to?" Kali asked. "No offence, Tor, but the last time I went on a 'quest', it didn't end well."

"You'll be fine," Cam said, reassuringly. Kali had already told him about the Fireheart's quest, so he could understand her hesitancy.

Kali shrugged. "If you say so," she muttered.

"So, why do we need this turtle thing anyway?" Dustin asked.

"Well, when we revived the Zords, several key power spheres were kept hidden," Cam explained, holding a small scroll between his fingers.

"Only to be retrieved when you mastered the skills necessary to do so," Sensei added.

Kali raised her hand. "I have a question - if this skill was needed to use the Zords, why did I have to do it?" she asked. "I mean, I don't even have a zord - yet," she added quickly, pointing at Cam,

"Because, when you do get your Zord, you'll know the skill," said Cam.

"Point taken."

"I hope we don't let you down, Sensei," said Tori, hesitantly.

"Trust in yourselves," said Sensei. "Your inner Ninjas will show you the way."

Cam held up the scroll he had been searching for. "This is for in case your inner ninjas get lost." He smiled and handed it over to Tori.

"Thanks, Cam."

"You'll both do great," said Shane, straightening up. "I know you will."

Kali scoffed. "Kiss ass," she said, before turning to Tori. "Come on, before they start grovelling."

Tori laughed and followed Kali out of Ops.

**~X~**

After a lengthy discussion on ways to travel, with Tori gently reminding Kali that she still couldn't use her magic because of her core still being under repair, the pair speed-ran through the forest, switching to Ninja Streak - that Kali found difficult to master and tedious at times - until they stopped at the head of a clearing.

"I'm pretty sure this wasn't on the map," said Kali, looking around. "And for the record, I hate Ninja Streak."

"So you keep saying," said Tori, smiling in amusement. She removed the map from her bag and unfurled it enough so Kali could see it, also. "We're not lost, per se. We're just slightly off-course."

"So, not lost but lost," said Kali.

"Slightly."

Kali rolled her eyes. "If we knew the exact coordinates of this thing, I could just teleport us there," she said.

"You can't teleport!" Tori protested. "Do you just pretend to forget that or purposely ignore it?"

Kali laughed and shrugged. "Let's just go," she said.

The next time they stopped was beside a small stream. Kali turned in a full circle, and then looked at Tori, her head cocked to the side.

"Okay, this we're lost," Tori sighed. She raised her Morpher to her lips and relayed the same message to Sensei.

"Remember, Tori, a conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking," Sensei said, gently.

Kali smirked in amusement. "Reminds me of Leanbow," she said.

"I have yet to meet him," said Tori.

"He wasn't at Root core the other day?"

Tori shook her head. "He was out with Udonna and Rune collecting ingredients," she answered. "I did meet Eithne and Daggeron, though. Your mother's... eccentric."

"She was trapped in the Underworld guarding the Master for almost nineteen years," said Kali. "That's bound to do something to your head."

"I guess. I have to ask, you didn't seem eager to come on this quest with me. Can I ask why?"

Kali shrugged. "It wasn't so much the result of winning this morning's test," she said. "But more the fact that I didn't understand why I needed to take part. As for going on this quest, well, the last quest I went on as a Ranger, I ended up losing my cool with both Nick and Xander - Xander's fault, entirely - and the team divided down the middle."

Tori raised a curious eyebrow.

"We were searching for the Fireheart," Kali sighed. "Xander wanted to try his luck as a leader and hadn't yet learned what it meant to be a follower. He's always had a big head, and he let his ego get in the way. We got lost and kept going round and round in circles until he led us into swamp sand, naturally, we started sinking."

"But you got out," said Tori.

"Yeah, Nick got us out," said Kali. "Well, long story short, I snapped at Xander because in the chaos we lost the map to the Fireheart and he claimed he didn't need it, even though we knew he did..." she shook her head. "As I said, I lost my temper, Nick snapped at me to stop, despite him agreeing with me, which only pissed me off all the more,"

"How did the team get divided?"

"Oh, Phineas - I'll introduce you to him soon - showed up, twice, and told us he knew the way to the Fireheart, Xander, refused to listen but I'd had enough the second time. I decided to go with Phineas. Nick and Vida decided to come with me, while Xander managed to convince Chip and Maddie to stick with him. Guess which group made it out safe and which got into more trouble?"

"I don't need to guess," said Tori.

Kali nodded.

"And you still managed to develop feelings for Xander?" Tori asked.

Kali shrugged. "I wouldn't go as far as to say they were feelings, exactly," she said. "I mean, sure, I was interested, and maybe it could've worked, but it wouldn't have stopped me having feelings for Nick."

"And that wouldn't have been fair to Xander," Tori summarised.

"Exactly. I'd rather not be with either of them than be with one and hurt the other."

"But Xander is alright with you and Nick being a couple?"

Kali nodded. "Yeah, he's like my new best friend," she said.

Tori chuckled and brushed her hair from her face. "Okay, back to the task at hand, how do we get to the Jade Turtle?" she asked, curiously looking around.

"Well, Sensei said to use our inner ninja's, right?"

Tori nodded.

"Well, you're a water ninja and there's a river," said Kali, pointing at the flow of water. "Use it."

Tori rolled her eyes but knelt beside the stream. She dipped her hands beneath the cool surface and closed her eyes with a sigh.

Carefully peering over Tori's shoulder, Kali watched as the small puddle formed a house on stilts. "Now that''s cool," she grinned.

"Now we know what we're looking for," said Tori, tossing the water into the air. The house disappeared and the water bubble zoomed away into the trees.

The pair looked at one another and took off after it.

**~X~**

"Hold it, sister!"

Kali rolled her eyes and turned to face Marah and Kapri. If she hadn't known any better, she wouldn't have recognised them as the pair from the beach a few weeks ago. Their human facade had given way to their alien appearance, and while they still looked human, it appeared that they had got dressed in the dark.

"Hey, what's in the bag?" Kapri asked.

Tori shifted the bag aside and placed her hand over the turtle, protectively.

"You might as well tell us because we can just use our powers and take it from you," said Marah.

Kali scoffed. "I guess that means we can use ours to stop you," she retorted.

"Oh, please, you're still healing," said Kapri.

Kali clenched her fist. "I may still be healing but I can still do a lot of damage," she hissed.

Glancing around, Tori nudged Kali and then bolted to the left. Kali followed a second later, but turned back to Marah and Kapri and held up her wrist. A shield burst out of her Morpher to block the attack that Kapri had sent their way.

Kapri growled in frustration but raised her sword to block an attack from Tori as she stepped out from behind Kali.

Ducking behind her sister for cover, Marah straightened up and threw a golden ball at the two Rangers. It hit Kali in the chest, seconds after she lowered her shield and knocked her back into Tori.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Kali grumbled.

"Hand over the bag," Kapri said, holding her hand.

Breathing through her nose, Kali pushed herself to her feet and stood in front of Tori, as she contacted Shane and Dustin from behind,

"Shane, Dustin, we've run into a little snag," said Tori.

But there came no reply.

Catching her friend's eye, Kali shrugged and shook her head. "Guess it's just us girls'," she said, turning her attention back to Marah and Kapri.

"Ready?" Tori asked.

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Water!"

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Darkness!"

Glancing sideways at Tori, Kali nodded and split off from her as Marah followed. The pair circled one another for a single moment before Marah floated into the air and rammed Kali, attacking from all sides as she spun in a rapid circle.

Kali cried out as she felt the pricks of, what felt like a thousand knives, but in reality, were the two blades in Marah's hands. She groaned as she was tossed through the air and hit the ground her side.

"Woah!"

Pushing herself up, Kali looked around as Tori stopped a few feet away and the bag that contained the Jade Turtle hit the grass between her and Kapri.

"No. Leave it alone!" Kali called, watching as Kapri picked up the bag and removed the turtle from inside.

Marah giggled and run over. "Oh! It's so pretty!" she cooed, taking the turtle and caressing its head. "I've always wanted one of these. Whatever it is."

Kali rolled her eyes and steadily pushed herself to her feet. "You pair ever heard the term 'finders, keepers'? meaning, we found the turtle, that means it belongs to us," she said.

"Not anymore," said Marah, smirking.

"I'm not exactly known for being so childish," said Kali, reaching over her shoulder and unsheathing her sword. "But, give me back my turtle!"

Kapri laughed. "Or what?" she asked.

"Ninja Sword!" Kali called, powering up her blade. She jumped into the air and spun the sword between her hands. "Darkness Wave!" she called, slashing down as she landed.

A blanket of darkness hit the two sisters and knocked them off their feet. The turtle flew into the air and landed on the ground between the two pairs.

"The turtle!" Tori gasped.

"Get it!" Marah squealed.

"Step back!" Kali warned, holding her sword up at the sisters. They stopped and backtracked.

Jumping to her feet, Tori stepped up beside Kali. "This is getting us nowhere," she said.

"Is that your way of giving up?" Kapri asked.

Kali snorted. "You wish," she said.

"But this could go on forever," said Tori. "Unless..."

"Unless we punish you with a humiliating defeat," said Kapri.

"Yeah, like that will happen," Kali muttered, sarcastically.

Tori shook her head. "No, I thought maybe we could work something out," she suggested. "You know, something that will benefit us all?"

Kali cocked her head to the side as Marah and Kapri exchanged curious glances.

"Uh, Tor, what you playing at?" Kali asked.

"You'll see," Tori grinned.

**~X~**

Puffing and panting, Dustin and Shane ran across the gravelled path of the rock quarry. They had hit a snag with a monster in town and had needed Sensei's help to break his spell on them in the chaos they had missed a call from Tori and Kali asking for their help.

"I hope we're not too late," said Shane, glancing across at Dustin.

Dustin nodded. "Yeah, me too," he agreed.

The pair stopped, just as Tori and Kali appeared out of thin air in front of them. Their visors snapped open and Dustin pouted at Kali. "How come she gets a solo ride?" he asked.

Kali rolled her eyes. "Better question: what took you guys so long?" she asked.

"Sorry, we run into a bit of trouble," said Shane.

"Same here," said Tori. "Everything work out alright on your end?"

Shane nodded. "All taken care of," he confirmed. "How about you, two?"

Tori and Kali shared a knowing grin.

"It turned out we had it covered all along," said Kali.

"How do you -?" Dustin started. He cut off and then grinned as Tori held up the Jade Turtle. "Hey, hey,! You got the turtle. Right on."

"Yeah. Kali and I worked out a little deal with Marah and Kapri," said Tori.

Suddenly Kali stiffened. "Oh, here, go," she grumbled, looking up as a giant monster appeared above them.

"Now for the final cut!" the monster boomed.

"Man, this guy's _shear_ torture!" Shane complained. "Cam, the Zords."

 _"First you have to break the Jade Turtle, Tori. Hurry_!" Cam replied.

Kali and Tori shared a look.

"He's kidding, right?" Kali asked.

"Yeah, does he have any idea what we went through to get this thing?" Tori asked.

Shane shrugged. "Better do as he says," he said.

"Yeah, okay," said Tori, rushing over to a large boulder. She smashed the Jade Turtle on top and a scroll fell out.

" _Got it!"_ said Cam. " _I'm sending the Zords. I'll let you know when I have the new codes on-line! In the meantime, Kali -"_

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Kali sighed; She turned to the others, offered them good luck and then disappeared in a cloud of darkness.

**~X~**

Handing Cam the last of the scrolls, Kali jumped down from the Ninja library and took a seat on the small table in the centre of the room. The day had ended on another happy note, with the Rangers beating another of Lothor's monsters and saving the city from destruction.

"So the statue was the hiding place for the turtle mace technology," said Cam, hurrying down the steps from the library. He had been explaining the History of the Ninja Zords to her, and how he had hidden several codes away in statues, just like the Jade Turtle.

Kali cocked her head to the side as she listened. "So, you knew all along where the Jade Turtle was hidden?" she asked.

"No," said Cam, shaking his head. "I created the code a year ago, and my father hid it inside the Jade Turtle. He figured that hiding it off the site would be easier than having it here."

"Because people would automatically assume that something important would be safer behind a barrier," said Kali. "Sounds logical."

Cam nodded. "And you know my father, he wasn't about to just tell you and Tori where the statue was hidden, because then, how would you learn?"

Kali laughed and glanced at Sensei. He wrinkled his nose as he smiled.

"Are you okay?" Cam asked, turning serious. "I saw you take a beating from Marah."

"I'm fine, Cam," Kali said, reassuringly.

"You'd tell me if you weren't?"

Kali rolled her eyes. "Yes, Dad," she teased. She laughed as he lightly shoved her shoulder. "How did the conference turn out?" she added, looking around at Sensei.

"Though the city leaders settled many issues," Sensei answered. "Lothor remains a threat to the Blue Bay Harbour."

"I guess it's a good thing we've got their backs," said Kali.

Cam nodded.

"Yes, it is," Sensei confirmed.

Kali glanced at Cam and they both shared a small smile.


	9. Return of Thunder, Part I

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

Kali looked around as Nick wandered into Root Core alongside Udonna and Leanbow. He was carrying a small satchel, which he deposited on the table beside Claire, and hurried over to his girlfriend.

"Everything alright?" Nick asked, holding her at arm's length and checking her over.

Despite rolling her eyes, Kali couldn't help but smile. Even though their relationship was in the early stages, Nick still treated her like a best friend than a girlfriend. He always greeted her with her a hug, rather than a kiss, but she wasn't complaining. She didn't want to rush this relationship because if anything went wrong she knew she'd lose more than a boyfriend.

"Yeah, I'm good," Kali replied. "I just need someone," she glanced across the table at Eithne, "to give me a clean bill of health, so that Sensei will let me leave Ninja Ops."

Nick cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, ever since the incident with the Gem of Souls, Sensei only lets me out for Ranger battles," Kali explained. "I mean, isn't the whole point of me being there to be a Ranger?"

"Yes, but we've never encountered a problem like the Gem of Souls before," said Eithne. "I'm not saying it wasn't a problem when you were a Mystic Ranger, but no one has tried to use it against the Hellhound for their agenda. We don't know what kind of effects it will have against you, which is why you need to rest."

Kali grumbled. "I have rested for almost a month," she whined. "I am going stir crazy. Please. Don't treat me like I am a child."

"She's got a point," said Nick. "Trust me, if you think angry!Kali is bad, you should see sick!Kali. It's worse."

Kali narrowed her eyes at Nick. "Excuse me? I'm worse when sick?" she asked.

"Yes."

"I'm not the one who sits and whines about sounding like a teapot when I have a cold, thank you!" Kali argued.

"No, you just sit there and act like you're dying," Nick retorted.

"I had the flu, I was dying!"

"See what I mean," said Nick, looking at the others while pointing at Kali. "Drama - Argh!" he yelled out as Kali grasped his finger and twisted it around.

Kali smirked as Nick tugged his hand back and glared at her.

"Keep her on bed rest for another month - Ow!" Nick said, yelping as Kali punched him in the shoulder.

"Don't listen to him," said Kali, turning to her mother.

Claire shook her head at the pair and turned back to her potion. "Thankfully, for you, Kali," she said, adding a third anticlockwise stir to the cauldron. "Eithne had been work on a healing potion for you. Unfortunately, given you're the Hellhound, it will only work towards the end of your healing process."

"I'm at the end, right?" Kali asked, hopefully.

"I guess when you take this," said Claire, bottling up a small portion of the potion. "We'll find out." She corked the bottle, gave it a little shake, and then passed it to her friend.

Kali stared at the green liquid for a second, she then uncorked the bottle and swallowed the contents in one. She shuddered as a shiver run down her spine, and she closed her eyes against the sharp, yet bitter taste in her mouth.

"You okay?" Nick asked, placing a hand on her elbow.

Kali took a deep breath. "The next person to ask if I'm okay is going to get punched in the face," she growled, opening her eyes and meeting his gaze.

Nick rolled his eyes and dropped her arm."She's okay," he said, looking around at the others.

They chuckled.

**~X~**

Kali laughed as she danced alongside Vida at the Rock Porium. After getting what she had wanted from Root Core, she had returned to Briarwood with Nick to catch up with the rest of her friends and family. Nikki and Toby weren't in - Date Night- while LeeLee, Phineas, Xander and Vida were managing the store.

"It's so great to have you back," said Vida, removing her headphones as the music died away. She took back Kali's and then enveloped her friend in a firm hug. "You have no idea how difficult it is to get people to start dancing randomly these days."

"I find that hard to believe," said Kali, nodding to a nearby couple. "You know, if you had told me a month ago that a human would be dating a fairy, I'd have laughed at you."

"Same," said Vida. "A lot of things have changed around here, for the better, obviously, but still, different."

"Speaking of change," said Kali, turning to the front of the shop. Xander stood behind the front counter, flirting with a young elf. "It's nice to know some things haven't."

Vida laughed. "He'll never change," she said. "I think the only person who was willing to change for, was you."

Kali sighed and shook her head. "Don't start me on that road," she said. "I came here looking for some fun, not to feel guilty."

"Sorry," Vida apologised. She offered her back the pair of headphones and grinned as she pumped up the volume. "Ready to go again,"

"You know, next time I'm back, we should bust out the Dance Party game and see how long we last," Kali suggested, stretching open the headphones and lifting them to her ears.

Vida laughed and nodded.

_**Beep. Beep. Beep.** _

"Ooh. Don't look now," Vida muttered.

Kali lifted her Morpher to her lips. "What's up, Cam?" she asked.

" _Sorry to interrupt your day, but we've got a problem at the factory on third. The others need backup."_

"I'm on my way," said Kali. She handed Vida back her headphones and jumped off the stage.

"Leaving already?" Xander asked, as Kali dodged around him and headed for the door.

"Alien attacking Blue Bay Harbour," Kali called over her shoulder. "I'll call you later." She paused outside the shop, pressing a quick kiss to Nick's cheek and then rushed across the road and disappeared straight through the Oak Tree.

**~X~**

Shane, Tori, and Dustin gasped as a flash of crimson lightning bounced off the black shield behind them. They sighed in relief as the shield lowered and Kali stood there, fully morphed, but looking up.

"Where did you come from?" Shane asked her.

"Better question, what are they doing here and why are they attacking you?" Kali asked, nodding at the Thunder Rangers standing above them.

Dustin nudged Shane. "She's got a point, dude," he agreed.

"What are you doing?" Tori called to Hunter and Blake.

The two brothers nodded at one another and then launched themselves into the air. When they landed they rushed the four Rangers, swinging their staffs over their shoulders and splitting the team of four in two with Hunter attacking Tori and Dustin, and Blake going for Shane and Kali.

Kali raised her sword and blocked Blake's staff.

"Blake, stop!" Shane yelled.

"Not until you're destroyed!" Blake replied, shoving Kali back and rushing at Shane with his Navy Antlers. He hit Shane in the chest and knocked him back.

Kali pressed two buttons on her Ninja Sword and took a running leap at the Navy Ranger. "Darkness -" she cut off as Blake knocked the sword towards the ground and the attack fizzled out on the ground.

"Your attacks are getting predictable!" Blake said, latching his Navy Antlers around Kali's waist and hauling her into the air.

Kali sucked in a breath as navy lightning rippled through her body. She panted heavily and clutched her chest as Blake dropped her to the floor, and turned back to Shane.

"I don't want to fight you!" Shane said.

Blake laughed and wrapped the Antlers around Shane's middle. "You don't have a choice," he said, running him backwards and ramming him into a wall.

Clutching her middle, Kali pushed herself to her feet and hurried over to Tori. The Blue Ranger had just tried using her water powers on Hunter, only to have them thrown back at her as he deflected them with his Thunder shield.

"You okay?" Kali asked, grasping Tori's arm and pulling her up.

"Huh-huh," Tori said, breathlessly.

Shane and Dustin joined them as Hunter and Blake regrouped.

"Let's finish this," said Blake, cracking his knuckles.

Hunter produced his Crimson Blaster and fired it at the quartet. Taking a deep breath, Kali raised her Morpher and her shield burst out, stopping the attack but still blasting them through the air. She flipped over and landed on a nearby ledge as the others landed beside her.

"Let's get out of here!" said Dustin.

The others nodded and turned tail, as Toxipod yelled for them to come back.

"Where are we going?" Kali asked, following Shane and Tori through the factory. Dustin was close behind her.

"Away from that stinky smell!" Shane called over his shoulder. He took a sharp left turn and the others followed, Kali reaching for Dustin's hand as he stumbled and almost rolled over the railing.

"You can't run away from my furious fumes, Rangers," Toxipod yelled. He took the corner at breakneck speed and rammed into the team, knocking them out of a window and into an empty courtyard. "This gas is a total blast!"

Clenching his fist, Shane struggled to his feet. "This guy's stinking up my whole day," he growled.

"I think he needs to be smog-checked," said Tori, standing.

"You got that right," Dustin agreed.

Pushing herself up, Kali turned to her friends. "There's not much I can do here in terms of power," she said. "But a little wind may work, right about now."

Shane nodded. "How about we put the wind in _Wind_ Rangers?" he asked Dustin and Tori.

"Oh, yeah, like I'm afraid of wind!" Toxipod scoffed.

"Then come on down!" Shane goaded.

"Unless you're too chicken!" Tori taunted.

"Don't be shellfish!" said Dustin, waving the alien over. "Come on!"

Toxipod growled and jumped over the railing. He landed before the team and exhaled a mist of foul breath.

Kali gagged as the others looped their arms around one another and spun in a furious circle, whipping up the fog and causing a small cyclone which tossed all empty barrels and crates at Toxipod.

"Hey! Hey, no fair!" Toxipod howled. "I'm supposed to trash you!"

"Ha!" Kali laughed. She pulled her sword over her shoulder and pointed it at Toxipod. "I hope you didn't forget about me. Ninja Sword, Power Up!" The blade ignited with black energy, and Kali took a running leap. "Darkness Wave!" she cried, slashing down with the blade and slicing it across Toxipod's chest.

Toxipod howled as he was blasted through a window. He landed outside the factory and turned, surprised to find the three Wind Rangers pointing their Storm Striker directly at his face.

"Y'all gots to go, yo!" Shane said as Toxipod exploded.

Racing outside, Kali turned to her friends. "It's not over yet," she called.

"You know that's cheating, right?" Dustin asked, pointing at her.

Kali cocked her head to the side.

"Using your magic to sense when something is about to happen," said Dustin. "It's an unfair advantage."

"Would you rather I not tell you and you be caught off guard?"

Dustin shook his head.

"Then suck it up, buttercup," said Kali, looking up as a giant Toxipod appeared. "You going to be okay up there?"

Shane nodded. "Not going to be a problem - Cam, your thoughts?" he asked into his Morpher.

" _I'm thinking Megazord_ ," Cam replied.

"Me too," said Shane, saluting.

Kali rolled her eyes and watched as the respective Zords arrived. "I'm starting to feel unwanted," she grumbled.

" _I'm still working on the finer points of your zord_ ," Cam said. " _It's a lot more complicated when you take in your magical aspect._ "

Kali took a deep breath and nodded. She took a running jump and pulled herself up onto a nearby scaffolding, and then scaled the wall of a building to get to the roof. "Guys, watch your six," she called, as she noticed Hunter and Blake's zords appear behind the Wind Megazord. "The bugs are back."

"Power Sphere!"

The chest plate on the Megazord opened and a red power sphere, with gold accents, shot out. It opened to reveal the serpent sword. It was the same one, Kali noticed, that the Thunders had stolen during their first battle with her friends. Wielding the sword through the air, the Rangers sliced through Toxipod three times, before he exploded.

"Guys, behind you!" Kali called, pointing out the Thunder Megazord.

The Wind Megazord turned, just in time to block an obvious sneak attack. Kali clenched her hand, every fibre in her being aching to get in on the fight. She knew that the Thunder Brothers wouldn't stand a chance against her Titan form, given it would tower over both Megazord's with ease, but she also knew Cam and Sensei would be disappointed if she got hurt again, especially after only just receiving a clean bill of health from Root Core.

Suddenly, Kali stiffened and a shiver run down her spine. She took a deep breath and gasped, her eyes widening as she looked up. The giant shell of Toxipod rose into the air behind the two Megazords, it's whole mass bugling, almost like something was about to burst out. The last time she had seen something like this happen was when the tentacles of the Master had erupted from inside Matoombo.

"No..." Kali breathed, her eyes widening. "Guys! Watch -"

The giant shell exploded, covering both Megazords in a glowing mass of sludge.

Kali held her breath as she watched both Megazords' struggle and then shut down. She swallowed hard and looked around, spotting Chubo on the ground, a few short feet away from her. "Oi, you!" she yelled, taking a running leap off the side of the building.

Chubo gave a start and quickly disappeared.

Kali growled and looked back up at the Megazords. "Cam, what's happening?" she asked into her Morpher.

 _"I don't know, Kali_ ," Cam replied. " _The Megazord is offline. There's no one on board."_

"But what about the others?"

" _It's like they vanished into thin air like they were never even there_!"

Kali sighed and lowered her arm. "This is not good," she mumbled.


	10. Return of Thunder, Part II

Kali sighed as she walked back into Ops. "The cold front has swept up the coast," she told Cam and Sensei. "Nick says it has hit Briarwood and I'm even getting messages from Maddie and Chip in Summer Cove."

Cam chewed the inside of his lip and turned his attention back to the monitor. "Before you ask," he said, as Kali sat beside him. "I haven't been able to locate the others. It's like they've vanished into another dimension."

"That doesn't help," said Kali, shaking her head. "There are hundreds of dimensions littered throughout the Mystic Realm, not all of them are good, and that's without taking the hidden ones into consideration."

"Hidden dimensions?" Cam asked.

"Ones that need more than one magic user to access them," Kali answered. "There are some dimensions, like the shadow dimension, for example, that needs demon powers to open them. Itassis and Matoombo could help, but I doubt the others are there."

Cam nodded, deciding to take her word for it then push the matter.

"We must keep trying to contact them," said Sensei.

Kali nodded slowly. "I'm going to head back to Root core," she said, nudging Cam's shoulder. "Maybe there's something there that can help. I mean, if there is a chance that they are stuck in a different dimension then that's going to be the best place to find it and them."

"Okay. But keep your Morpher handy," said Cam. "We may need you if there's an attack."

"Got it," said Kali, jumping down from beside the monitor and disappearing in a puff of black cloud.

**~X~**

"What do you mean 'they're gone'?" Xander asked.

Kali looked up from the many books in front of her. "What do you think I mean?" she asked. "They were fighting the Thunder Rangers in a Megazord battle, Toxipod's shell exploded and they disappeared."

"Why didn't they take you, too?" Vida asked.

"Maybe because I don't have a Megazord?" Kali sighed and shoved a book on ancient potion ingredients away. "We can't find them using the Ninja red-eye, and we've tried contacting them on the morphers, but they're not answering. Cam seems to think they could be in a different dimension, which is why I am here and not there."

Eithne entered from the library carrying an armful of books. "The idea that they're in a different dimension is logical," she agreed. "But which one is the question. There are over a hundred in Briarwood alone, not to mention the rest of the Mystic Realm, we may not find them."

"That's not an option," said Kali, shaking her head. "There's got to be a locator spell or something that I can use? I can't fight Lothor alone, I need the others."

Nick placed his hand on Kali's shoulder. "No one's giving up," he promised. "We'll find them."

Kali sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry, I just feel like I'm making rookie mistakes," she said. "I mean, this isn't my first rodeo as a Ranger. But I feel like I did when we first started," she looked around at Vida, Xander, and Nick. "We had no clue what we were doing, and if it weren't for Udonna, we probably would've failed more than half of the time. But in the last month of being a Ninja Ranger, I've let one teammate get captured and now I've lost all of them."

"That happened to us, too, if you remember," said Xander. "We lost Nick in Koragg's dimension."

"Yeah, and remember when Hekatoid turned all of us, except you, Maddie, and Chip into dice?" Vida asked.

"How about the time we got eaten by Murcor?" Nick asked. "Chip and Vida were the only two left."

"I'm the only _one_ left!" Kali argued. "I lost my entire team."

"And we'll get them back," said Eithne, gently. "Don't give up, Kali. Now, what did you do when you lost Nick?"

Kali heaved a sigh as Xander leaned against the table beside her, nudging his shoulder against hers.

"Nick was pulled into a dark seal by Koragg," said Vida. "We had to say the spell backwards to reverse it, and get him back."

"There was no spell here," said Kali. "When Toxipod exploded he unleashed this sludge-like magic which caused the others to disappear."

Xander scratched his chin. "We did try a locator spell on Nick, but it didn't work because of Koragg's magic," he said. "What if, on the off chance, Tori, Shane, and Dustin aren't in another dimension? We could use the locator spell to find them here."

Nick looked to Kali and squeezed her shoulders. "It's worth a try," he said.

"And we get to eliminate the possibilities of where they've ended up," said Vida. "If they aren't in our dimension, then we can start looking at others.

Kali nodded and reached for a spellbook. "Alright," she said, flipping it open to the contents page. "Let's get to work."

**~X~**

" _This is crazy. It's never been this cold here,"_ said Cam. " _We've broken every record since the weather service has existed_."

Kali smiled faintly as she listened to Cam whine. "Are you okay, Sensei?" she asked, directing her attention to the small rodent.

" _Why couldn't I have been a long-haired Peruvian guinea pig_?" Sensei asked.

"Look on the bright side," said Kali. "You could've been a naked mole-rat."

Sensei chuckled. " _Any luck on the dimensions?"_ he asked.

"We're still searching," said Kali. "We've tried locating them in this dimension, but no luck so far. We're now breaking off into teams and going dimension-hopping - Daggeron and Eithne are taking the Solar Train, while Matoombo and Vida are checking the Dawn dimension. Udonna and Leanbow have gone to check the Mystic Mother's dimensions, while Claire, LeeLee, and Phineas are checking in with the Snow Prince. Itassis and Nikki are also checking the Underworld, it's still in repairs, but we can't be too careful."

" _Do you think they're down there_?" Cam asked.

"Honestly, I don't," said Kali. "But it would explain why we can't reach them. How about you? Have you found anything?"

" _Unfortunately, no_ ," said Cam. " _I've had to turn the heat up, but I'm worried about it drawing power away from the search systems."_

" _We have no choice_ ," said Sensei. " _We must find the other Rangers_."

Kali glanced over her shoulder. Nick and Xander were still pouring over spell books, each trying a new spell that they hoped would locate her new friends, but with each spell coming back with nothing, her hope was waning.

"If I need to, I can bring our search to you," said Kali. "Given my Hellhound abilities, I don't feel the cold as much. Same with Nick and his phoenix spirit. We can warm Ninja Ops while you continuing searching. Just say the word."

" _We're alright for now_ ," said Cam. " _Stay there. I'll call you if anything changes_."

Kali nodded. "Be careful, Cam," she said.

" _You too."_

Disconnecting the call, Kali wandered back to the table and sat back down beside Nick. She pulled a book towards her, all the while feeling two sets of eyes on her. "Cam's struggling," she said, without looking up. "He doesn't enough power to warm Ninja Ops and continue the search for the others. If he runs out of power then others could remain lost, and he and Sensei will freeze."

"We won't let that happen," said Nick, pulling her close.

"He's right," said Xander.

Kali took a deep breath, wiped her unsure tears from her eyes, and returned to her research. There was a gnawing in the pit of her stomach, and she felt incredibly sick and guilty. She was safe at Root core while her new friends were either missing, or freezing to death, and if she didn't do something, and fast, she'd be the only Ninja Ranger left on the planet.

* * *

**It's short, and I'm sorry. I'm hoping it picks up soon.**

**~Twix**


	11. Return of Thunder, Part III

"Portico Island."

Kali blinked and looked up at Vida. "Mhm... what?" she asked.

"Portico Island," Vida repeated, sliding her book across the table. "It's a volcanic formation in the South Pacific. It rises from the sea every two hundred years and when it sinks back into the ocean the climate on the mainland drops substantially, causing cold temperature and snow."

Kali trailed her gaze from word to word and then sat back, allowing the lore of the island to sink in.

"It says here that it draws power from the Snow Prince's dimension," said Xander, leaning over Kali's shoulder. "But it's found in our world."

"That's got to be where they are," said Kali. She looked around at her friends. "Right?"

"It's worth a shot," said Nick. "Mom and Dad are there now. We can call ahead to see if they can see?"

Kali shook her head. "I'm going," she said. "I got a score to settle with Hunter, and if he and Blake are back on Lothor's side the others are going to need all the help they can get."

"Then we're coming, too," said Vida.

"Why?"

"Because the last time you went up against the Thunders, you almost died," said Xander. "Do you think we're going to let something like that happen again?"

Kali rolled her eyes but still smiled. At least her friends cared.

"We should take our morphers," said Vida. "Just to be sure."

Nick nodded and turned to Kali as Xander and Vida left the table. "We're going to find them," he said, reaching for her hand. "This island is a good starting point, especially since most of the other dimensions have been a bust."

"I know," Kali murmured. She took a deep breath and sighed. "I gotta call Cam. Fill him in and let him know what we're doing. If I suddenly go dark and unreachable, he'll panic."

Nick nodded and leaned forward, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "I'll go grab my Morpher and meet you back here," he said.

As Nick left the room, Kali run a hand through her hair and then hit the intercom button on her Morpher. "Hey, Cam, I may have found something," she said, walking out of Root Core.

**~X~**

" _I found it_ ," said Cam. " _I think you might be right, Kali. According to this, the island is sinking at the same rate as the fall in temperature here. Hang on, I'm getting something. Wait, yes! It's them_."

"How did you manage to find them?" Kali asked.

" _I tracked the heat signatures from the satellite photos_ ," said Cam.

" _This is good news_ ," said Sensei.

"Not entirely, Sensei," said Kali, glancing over her shoulder as Nick, Vida, and Xander joined her outside. "The island is only above sea level for a few hours ever two hundred years, if the temperature here on the mainland is dropping at the rate Cam says it is, then the island is sinking and fast."

" _She's right_ ," Cam confirmed. " _The others are also not alone on the island. I can't say for certain who is with them, but they're bad news either way."_

"Well, they're about to have more company," said Kali. "This time it's all good."

" _Kali, you must be very caref_ ul," Sensei warned. "T _his could be a part of an elaborate plan to isolate and capture you_."

Kali looked up at her friends. "Don't worry, Sensei, this time I have a backup," she said, smiling.

Xander grinned.

" _I'll keep trying to establish contact from here,_ " said Cam. " _Good luck._ "

"Thanks."

Kali cut the connection and turned to her friends. "You sure you want to do this?" she asked. "I mean, you're not rangers anymore and this isn't your fight."

"Are you kidding?" Vida asked. "Lothor wants the Hellhound, that makes it our fight."

"She's right," said Xander. "Besides, you aren't going alone. Like Cam said, this could be Lothor's way of drawing you out so he can capture you."

Nick nodded and reached for Kali's hand. "We either go with you," he said. "Or you don't go at all."

Vida and Xander nodded in agreement.

Kali smiled and then nodded. "Alright then," she said, turning her back on them and raising her mystic morpher into the air. She muttered a spell, drew a circle in the air, and opened a portal to the Snow Prince's dimension. "Here we go."

**~X~**

"... like going off a freestyle ramp or -"

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm sure it's not the point."

Dustin, Shane, and Tori jumped as Kali appeared behind them.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Tori asked, jumping up and accepting a hug from Kali.

"How did you get here?" Dustin asked, clasping hands with her and drawing her into a hug next.

"Getting here wasn't the problem," said Vida. "Finding this place was. You know this island is sinking back into the ocean, right?"

Shane nodded. "Yeah, we've been told," he said, glancing at Blake.

Kali followed his gaze. "I'm guessing since you're here, you're on our side again," she said.

"Kali, I'm sorry, for everything," said Blake.

"Where's your brother?"

A flicker of sadness flashed across Blake's face, and Kali glanced at Tori.

"Hunter's still with Lothor," Tori answered. "It's a long story, but he's not in his right mind."

"I could've told you that," Kali muttered.

"If he's still with Lothor then he could come after you again, Kali," said Nick. "We should get out of here while we can."

Kali watched as Blake turned his back on them. She could feel the fear and sadness radiating off of him, and the way his shoulders slumped in defeat and disappointment was enough to make up her mind. "No," she said, startling the others. "We're a ranger down."

"But, Kali..." Xander started.

"Look, I'm not saying I've forgiven him for what he did," said Kali. "But he saw a chance to get his parents back, and I respect his loyalty to them. Besides, we don't leave a man behind. If there is a chance we can save him then we have to try."

Blake met Kali's gaze. "Thank you," he said with half a smile.

Kali nodded.

"Well, we aren't going to find him up here," said Vida, looking around. The view from where she was standing was incredible, but in a few hours, it would no longer exist.

"Not unless he sneaks upon us," said Nick.

"Which is possible," said Xander, glancing around. The whole area was protected by shrubbery and trees. Hunter could've been hiding in plain sight, and being a Ninja meant he had tricks that would make it hard for them to find him.

Returning her attention to Blake, Tori sidled up next to him and smiled. "In other words, let's go find him," she said.

"Do we have to?" Dustin whined.

"Move it or lose it, dude," said Kali, catching him by the collar and tugging him to his feet.

**~X~**

Coughing and spluttering through the sulphuric smog that filtered out of the ground, the group climbed over the rocky side of the mountain.

"This island reeks," said Dustin.

"Blake! Blake!" Hunter's voice echoed across the sandy beach.

"At least he won't be hard to find," said Xander, watching as Hunter lost his footing and rolled two-thirds of the way down the incline.

Kali laughed as Hunter stumbled after trying to regain his footing. She smiled as Blake nudged her, and rolled her eyes at his scowl. "He'd laugh if the situation was reversed," she defended.

Blake shook his head and jumped over the last rock in his way. His feet had barely touched the sand when Kali landed on top of him, knocking them both to the ground. "What are you -?" he broke off as a blast of energy flew overhead and bounced off three shields produced by Nick, Vida, and Xander.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh!" Toxipod laughed as he stepped out of the smog. "I'd count yourself lucky, Navy Ranger. If it weren't for your friends, you'd have been shark bait!"

Dusting themselves off, Blake and Kali stood as the others joined them.

"What is that?" Vida asked.

"You guys better bail, 'cause I'm one bad snail!" Toxipod said.

Xander cocked his head to the side and gave Toxipod the once over. "Snail? I'd say you were more like a crab," he said.

"Crab, Snail, whatever!" Toxipod growled. He threw out his hands and his blast bounced harmlessly off Kali's shield.

"Going to have to do better than that," Kali said, grinning.

"Time to plug this slug," said Dustin.

"Ready?" Shane asked.

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Earth, Air, and Water!"

"Thunder Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Thunder!"

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Darkness!"

Nick looked to Vida and Xander. They both nodded and snapped open their Mystic Morphers.

"Magical Source, Mystic Force!" they yelled, morphin' for the first time in over two months.

Toxipod clenched his hand into a fist. "I can take you all!" he yelled, charging forward.

"Dream on, snail trail!" said Blake. "Ninja Shadow Battle!"

Kali closed her eyes as she felt a surge of power rising in her chest. Her suit glowed and a blanket of darkness covered the whole area, shrouding herself and the others Rangers in the pitch black.

"What?!" Toxipod yelled. "What's happening? Where'd you go!"

"We're over here!" Shane called, racing through the dark and striking Toxipod from the left.

"No, over here!" said Dustin, charging the crab from the right.

"Here!" Tori and Kali called, dropping down on him from above and raking their swords down his front and back.

"How about down here?" asked Xander, using his powers over Earth to wrap vines around Toxipod's ankles.

"Tornado!" Vida said, whipping around Toxipod and battering from all sides.

"Power of the Phoenix!" called Nick, surrounding the snail in a flicker of phoenix flames.

Toxipod cried out from the multitude of attacks before he felt something clasp around his waist. He looked down as the darkness subsided and saw the Navy Ranger's antlers locked in place.

"Where's Hunter?" Blake asked, tightening his grip.

"What do you care? You'll never get off this island!" Toxipod yelled as navy lightning rippled through the antlers and into his body.

"Never's a long time, dude!" Blake yelled, hauling Toxipod into the air and tossing him aside.

"Put 'em together!" said Shane, combing his Hawk blaster with the Sonic Fin and Lion Hammer. "Storm Striker!"

The trio fired a blast at Toxipod and he exploded.

"Everyone okay?" Kali called.

The others nodded as they regrouped.

"What did you do?" Vida asked, nudging Kali. "You blanketed the entire area."

Kali looked around at the others and shrugged. "I guess when there are no shadows around I can provide them," she said. "It could be a part of my Ninja Powers."

"Or it's your magical powers growing stronger," said Xander.

"We can ask Eithne when we get back," said Nick.

Kali nodded. "First we have to find Hunter," she said, turning to Blake. "The last we saw him was on this beach, he can't have gone far."

Blake nodded, solemnly.

**~X~**

After a short search of the immediate area, Xander whistled for the others and waved them over. "Battle's not over yet," he said, pointing at Hunter steadily making his way up the beach.

"He looks pissed!" said Kali. She turned to Blake. "What happened?"

"Long story," said Shane.

"Can't you shorten it?"

Shane shook his head. "All you need to know is he wants to destroy Blake," he said. "We can't let him do that."

Kali sighed and pulled her Ninja sword over her shoulder. "This story better be worth it," she grumbled.

Rushing out ahead, the other Ninja's tried to prevent Hunter from getting through them and attacking his brother; but to no avail. The Crimson Ranger surged through and swung his staff at Blake. It crashed against Kali's sword as she shoved Blake aside at the last second.

"Kali, wait," Blake called, rolling to his knees. "Lothor's done something to him!"

"So you keep saying!" Kali yelled. "But I'm not going to let him hurt you." She swung her sword up, above her head, and blocked Hunter's staff as he pulled back and swung down.

"Hunter, listen to me," Blake called, running over and grabbing his brother by the shoulders. He wheeled him around and caught the thunder staff under his arm as Hunter attacked again.

"No more lies!" Hunter yelled, wrangling his staff free and swinging it at Blake's head.

Blake ducked to avoid to blow.

"Kali, we got company!" Nick called, nodding down the beach to where the other Ninja's had been cut off.

Kali looked up and spotted Choobo. "Go help them!" she told her friends. "I'll stay here with Blake."

The Mystics nodded and took off.

"Hunter! You've got to trust me!" Blake yelled.

Kali looked back and gasped. Hunter had managed to floor Blake and was pinning him to the ground with his staff.

"Why should I?" Hunter growled. "You betrayed me, and now you will pay for your betrayal!"

"Hey!" Kali yelled, launching herself at Hunter. The two collided and she managed to knock him from Blake, and into the sand.

Blake breathed heavily and then rolled to his feet. "Kali, he doesn't understand!" he called.

"I think he understands well enough!" Kali called back.

"He has to remember!" Blake argued.

Kali stared down at Hunter. She was straddling his stomach, pinning him the cold, wet sand by his shoulders. He struggled against her but she merely squeezed her knees tightly to his sides to prevent him from throwing her off. "Then it's time we broke through the fog," she said.

"Get off me!" Hunter growled.

Again, Kali felt a surge of power rising in her chest, she closed her eyes and saw a blaze of fire rising out of the shadows. She grit her teeth and curled her hands tighter around Hunter's shoulders as a mighty roar echoed in her ears.

_"We'll always be looking after you..."_

_"Make us proud..."_

As the roar and fire subsided, Kali shook her head as she reopened her eyes. She had just seen a flashback to the cavern of lost souls, where Alroy Bradley and his wife had appeared to their sons via her and the Hellhound.

"I... remember..." Hunter breathed.

Kali looked down as Hunter demorphed, his eyes closed and his head hit the sand with a soft thud. "Please don't be dead," she muttered, checking for a pulse in his neck. It was there, but faint.

"Hunter?" Blake called, falling to his knees beside Kali. He panicked when he saw his brother lying motionless beneath the black ranger. "Hunter! Come on, bro, wake up!" He pushed against Kali's shoulder, shoving her from his brother and taking her place. He wound his fingers into Hunter's collar and shook him, calling his name tirelessly and begging for him to wake up.

Kali shook her head and pushed herself into a sitting position. "Dude, he wasn't dead nor dying but he will be if you carry on," she called to Blake.

"What are talking about?" Blake asked, his voice hitching as he turned to her.

"She means I'm going to need to breathe at some point," said Hunter, gasping for breath and tapping his brother's hand.

Startled, Blake looked back at Hunter and then laughed in relief. He released his hold on Hunter, and scrambled backwards, allowing Hunter to sit up and run a hand through his hair, brushing away any wet sand and scattering it back on the beach.

Kali hid her smile as she rolled her eyes. She could understand Blake's panic, she would've reacted the same way if it had been any of her siblings, or even her friends. But, if he had taken a second to listen to her, instead of shoving her aside, all the energy he was wasting could've been put to better use.

"You okay?" Nick asked, kneeling behind Kali and sliding an arm around her back and placing his hand on her hip.

"Yeah, someone decided to be a little shove and tumble in his panic," said Kali while looking at Blake.

Blake looked sheepish. "Sorry," he apologised.

"I guess he's back to being Hunter," said Tori, looking down at the Bradley brothers.

"Good Hunter or bad Hunter?" Dustin asked.

"Do you know who we are?" Shane asked.

Hunter nodded as he looked around at the group. "Yeah. My friends," he replied.

"Friends that choose to help each other," Kali muttered, loud enough to be heard as she got back to her feet.

Hunter scowled as the others chuckled at his expense. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" he asked.

Kali shrugged. "Probably not," she said.

"Do something to change her mind, and she will," said Xander, earning himself a slap to the chest from Kali. He chuckled and rubbed the sore spot as Vida and Nick rolled their eyes.

_**Beep.** _

"Is that you, Cam?" Shane asked, raising his Morpher.

" _No, it's the phone company. I'm calling to find out if you're happy with your long-distance service_ ," Cam replied.

The Rangers chuckled.

" _Is he always this, uh, funny?_ " Hunter asked.

"Not always," said Shane, shaking his head. "We're great, Cam. Thanks for asking."

" _Are the Thunder's, Mystics, and Kali with you?_ " Sensei asked.

"We made it alive, Sensei," Kali called.

" _That's good to hear, my dear_ ," Sensei replied. " _What of the Thunders?_ "

"They're alive, too."

" _Excellent, I must speak to them upon your return._ "

" _Which brings up our next problem. Portico Island has less than thirty minutes before it is completely submerged for another two hundred years,_ " said Cam. " _You need to find a way off, and fast."_

Kali snapped open her Mystic Morpher and looked around at the others. "The Snow Prince is expecting us. We're ready to go when you are," she said.

" _We will see you when you get back_ ," said Sensei.

Shane ended the communication and turned to his friends. "Ready?" he asked.

"Let's get out of here," said Dustin.

Kali nodded and turned her back on her friends. She raised her Mystic Morpher into the air and started to trace the circle as she muttered the spell when Hunter interrupted.

"Wait!" Hunter said, startling the others and causing them to turn, half-expecting him to turn on them again. "I just wanted to say that it means a lot the way you stood up for me."

"Hey, that's what friends do," said Shane, patting Blake on the shoulder. "So before this turns into a group hug, let it go."

"Amen to that," Kali muttered. "Are we all ready now? Or does anyone else have any heartfelt things that they want to get off their chest?"

Hunter scowled.

"No? Great!" said Kali, raising her Morpher again. "Let's go home."

**~X~**

Kali folded her arms across her stomach as she leaned against the Cam's desk, next to his monitor. She was watching and listening to the conversations around her, and while she understood most of what was being said, she couldn't believe it after everything that had just happened.

The Thunders wanted to quit being Rangers and leave again.

"But what about everything we just went through?" Shane asked.

"We don't have a choice," said Hunter, trying his hardest not to lose his temper. He couldn't quite grasp what the others were failing to understand. He and Blake had only been rangers for a short amount of time, and both times they had been used to try and take out those protecting the world.

Blake nodded his agreement. "Lothor isn't going to let us rest until he destroys us," he said.

"Join the club, dude," said Dustin.

"We can't risk anything happening to you because of us," said Hunter. "Especially her," he added, nodding over to Kali. "Lothor's not going to stop until he gets the Hellhound. We came close to handing her over once, already. What if it happens again?"

"It won't," said Kali, breaking her silence. "We know his plan now, and if you stick around then I'm better protected. I'll have the whole Mystic team and the five of you. Lothor can't get through all of you, surely."

"Doesn't mean he won't try," said Blake.

Kali shrugged. "Better men have tried," she said.

But Hunter was shaking his head. "You four are the only ones standing between Lothor and millions of innocent people," he protested.

"But you've been given a gift," said Tori. "Isn't it your responsibility to use that gift?"

Blake lowered his gaze.

"Tori is correct," said Sensei. "Hunter, Blake, Sensei Omino knew that the Thunder Ranger powers were meant for you, but I cannot force you to live up to your responsibility."

Kali sighed and pushed away from the desk. "Do you think your father would agree with your choice of actions?" she asked.

Hunter and Blake looked startled.

"Alroy Bradley was a Lightning Mystic, and he used his magic to infuse your Morphers with their powers," Kali continued. "Then he died, leaving behind his legacy, and you just want to walk away from it? This morning, I admitted that I admired your loyalty to your family, but this isn't loyalty."

"We don't have a choice," said Blake, quietly.

"You're a Mystic," Kali insisted. "And Mystic's don't run from a battle. We endure it."

Rounding the table, Shane placed a hand on Kali's shoulder as Dustin and Tori joined them. Each one facing off against the Thunders.

"So, what do you say?" Shane asked, looking expectantly at the brothers. "Are you in or out?"


	12. The Return of Thunder, IV

Kali shed her jacket as she returned to Ninja Ops with Dustin in tow. "Crisis averted, kinda," she said, looking around at Tori, Shane, Cam and Sensei.

"What happened?" Shane asked.

Kali shrugged. "Dustin was pretty vague on the details," she explained. "But, it looks like our dear old Thunder buddies decided to go for a ride after work and then abandon their bikes at the beach."

"That doesn't sound right," said Tori, frowning.

"Yeah, Blake and Hunter aren't the most reliable guys, but leaving their bikes? No way," said Shane, shaking his head.

"Well, their bikes are now safe at Storm Charges, thanks to yours truly," said Kali, turning to Dustin. "Next time, just call Kelly. If people see me using my Mystic Powers here then it's not going to take them long to make the jump to Black Ninja Ranger."

Dustin nodded.

"So where did Hunter and Blake go?" Tori asked.

"We don't know," said Kali. "We checked the whole area, but there's no sign of them leaving. The tide hasn't come in yet to wipe away any footprints, and there was no residual energy of a Ninja streak or magic being used."

Tori nodded in understanding. "Well, I don't know about you, but I smell a rodent," she said, her eyes widening as she turned quickly to her teacher. "No offence, Sensei," she added.

"None taken, Tori. I, too, suspect foul play," Sensei agreed.

"And it probably has something to do with this," said Cam, drawing everyone over to the computer. On the screen was Choobo, and he seemed to be meditating. "I'm assuming he's not there for the scenery."

"I don't know, dude, that place is kinda cool," said Dustin, absentmindedly. "Especially this time of year."

Kali raised her brow at him, as the others turned to stare.

"Oh, right," Dustin said, realising their point.

"Ready?" Shane asked.

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Earth, Air, and Water!"

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Darkness!"

**~X~**

Kali planted both feet onto the ground as she jumped from her bike and faced Choobo. "That's strange," she said, cocking her head to the side. "I can't sense anything from him - no evil, no alliance, no nothing. It's like, he's not really here."

Choobo chuckled. "I'm here, Black Ranger," he said. "I'm just not here under Lothor's orders. I work alone now,"

"Woah," Kali murmured. Who knew that Choobo had it in him to walk out on Lothor?

"It doesn't matter!" said Shane. "Where are our friends?"

"Why don't you join them?" Choobo asked, patting his backpack. "I have room for four more inside?"

"Pass, but thanks," said Shane, dismissively.

"Oh, boohoo!" Choobo pouted. "I'm hurt, but not surprised. How about some new playmates instead? Kelzacks!"

A small army of black and red foot soldiers appeared between Choobo and the rangers, separating them from attacking him.

Kali rolled her eyes and pulled her NInja Sword over her shoulder. "These guys never learn," she said, hitting the middle button and a kanji symbol for darkness appeared. "I got this, guys!" she added to her friends, taking a running leap at the kelacks. "Darkness Wave!"

The Kelzacks yelped as a flash of darkness washed over them. They sparked and then fizzled out, disappearing instantly.

Choobo laughed and drew himself up to his full height. "I'm not out yet, Hellhound," he said. "The more merrier!"

Several more Kelzaks appeared, surrounding Kali and cutting her off from the others.

"Kali!" Tori yelled.

Drawing their swords, Shane and Dustin dashed towards their teammate, intending to help her, but were quickly overpowered.

"I'll handle this," said Tori, jumping into a tree and summoning her sonic fin. "Hey, Kelzaks! Wave bye-bye now," she called, her voice echoing around the clearing.

The Kelzaks followed her instructions and then disintegrated.

Kali breathed a sigh of relief and offered her friend a thumbs-up as Tori jumped down from the tree.

"Whoo-dee-do!" Choobo said with the least amount of enthusiasm.

"Storm Striker!"

"How does this strike you?" Choobo asked, slamming his staff into the ground.

Kali looked up and shoved Tori aside as a giant replica smashed into the ground where they had just stood.

"You two okay?" Shane called.

"Yeah," Kali replied. She shook her head as her Morpher bleeped on her wrist. "What's up, Cam?" she asked, carefully getting to her feet.

"Guys, I've locked onto Choobo's genetic encoding and found the routing system for the dimension in his pack," Cam said. "It's the key to the releasing the Thunder Rangers."

"You guys get that?" Shane asked, scratching his head.

"Yeah, right," Dustin laughed.

"English, please, genius," said Kali.

Cam sighed. "To get Hunter and Blake out, you need to slash the tubing that connects the control centre on his chest to his backpack," he explained in a tone meant for toddlers.

Glancing at the others, Kali closed her eyes and outstretched her hands, extending her fingers into the deep darkness of the surrounding forest. Inside her head, she watched as the drew in the shadows around her, tugging them from the trees and caves, from under rocks and from over the horizon. Drawing them towards her and wrapping them around her and the others.

"Hey, wait, what are you doing?" Choobo yelled. "Stop that!"

Opening her eyes, Kali looked around and grinned as she saw nothing but darkness, except for a small dim light that showed where Choobo was standing. The light tilted around, and Choobo's voice echoed.

"This isn't fair!" Choobo whined. "Why'd you turn the lights out? I'm afraid of the dark!"

"Yeah? You should be!" said Kali.

"Ninja Powers!" the others yelled, flipping over their teammate as she released her hold on the darkness.

Choobo stumbled in surprise as three Ninja Swords attacked him from all sides. The tubing sparked and fell to the floor, followed by the backpack, and two blurs burst out, Ninja Streaking through the trees.

**~X~**

Hunter and Blake looked around as they stopped on the edge of a cliff. Wherever they had been held captive had not been easy, now that they were back in the real world, and out in the open, they felt a lot less light-headed and weak, almost like Choobo's dimension had been sucking the life out of them.

"You guys okay?" Tori asked, running up with the others.

"We're fine," said Hunter.

Kali rolled her eyes. "Liar," she accused. "But, whatever, I just hope that was the last time we have to save your assess."

Hunter glared at her.

"You Rangers and your teamwork really cheese me off!" Choobo growled, appearing ahead of them. He was still steaming from the attack he had just taken.

Shane glanced at the Thunders. "You guys ready?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah!"

Choobo stamped his feet and blasted them with orange energy, but Kali deflected it with her shield. He growled, his eyes narrowing at the Black Ranger. "I've had it with you!" he said, throwing out his hand.

"What the -?" Kali asked, looking down as her arms locked against her sides as if tied with invisible binds. She squeaked as Choobo tugged backwards, and her whole body tumbled forwards.

"Kali!" Tori called.

Choobo laughed as he twirled his hand around, and Kali turned to face the others, a fireball appearing in her hand.

"What?" Kali gasped, as the flames flickered against her skin without harm. "What are you doing? Let me go!"

"But I want to have a puppet show," said Choobo. "I'm going to be the puppeteer, and you're going to be my puppet."

Kali scoffed. "I'm nobody's puppet!" she snarled.

"Choobo's going down," said Hunter, lifting his and Blake's combined weapon and aiming it at Kali.

"Hunter, be careful," Blake warned. "If you hit Kali, it will strip her of her power."

"We don't have any choice!" Hunter said.

Kali struggled against the binds. She took a deep breath and looked up at Hunter. "Do it!" she yelled. "I killed your father, remember? It was my fault the Great Battle happened! If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't have died."

"What's she doing?" Dustin whispered.

Shane shrugged. Kali knew that the Great Battle was not her fault, so why was she trying to goad Hunter into attacking her by lying to him?

"Kali knows she'll survive whatever Hunter throws at her," said Tori. "She knows her strengths and weaknesses, and she trusts the Hellhound."

Despite her words cutting him deep, Hunter still hesitated.

"Damn it, Bradley, fire already!" Kali yelled.

"Can you do it?" Blake asked, straightening up and turning to his brother.

Hunter sighed and lowered his blaster. "No, I can't risk it," he said, shaking his head.

Choobo laughed and petted Kali's helmet. "I knew you didn't have it in you," he said. "Five powerless Power Rangers, coming up!"

Kali clenched her jaw as Choobo's hold on her grew stronger. She shut her eyes tight, gritting her teeth and felt the fireball in her hand ignite further under his control. Come on! she thought, desperately.

Then, she felt it. The familiar spreading of warmth and power. It licked its way up from her the depth of her core, igniting the power cells throughout her body and generating more power as it spread to the tips of her toes and fingers. She physically clenched her hands into fists, diminishing the fireball and drawing them into her chest.

"Let. Me. _**GO**_!" Kali yelled, throwing her arms wide and breaking the binds that held her. A wall of darkness slammed into Choobo, knocking him away from her and driving him through several trees before he became stationary, sliding to the base of a giant oak and looking disorientated.

Without hesitating, Tori rushed across to Kali and caught her as she strumbled forward, drained and weary. She demorphed and landed on her knees as the others crowded around.

"What was that?" Dustin gasped, grabbing Kali's free arm and helping her stand.

"You okay?" Shane asked.

Kali smiled weakly. "Yeah, but I'm not going to be much use to you now," she said. "I have to get back to Ops. Think you can handle it from here?"

Shane nodded.

"You sure you can teleport?" Tori asked.

"I think I have enough energy left in me," said Kali, squeezing her friend's wrist. "I'll see you when you get back."

**~X~**

"That's it!" Cam yelled, startling Kali as she rested on the table, her head in her arms. She had made it back to Ops, but collapsed the minute she arrived, leading to Cam settling her beside the table with a blanket and pillow.

Kali grumbled and looked around. "Why are you shouting?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Sorry, but I just figured out what that mystery piece of the Thunder Megazord does," said Cam.

"That's great," said Kali, rubbing her temple. "But, do you think you could celebrate a little quieter? I have a headache."

Cam smiled and turned to contact the others. "Guys, check this out!" he said into the monitor while sending two separate power discs to both Shane and Hunter.

" _Thanks, Cam, but how about filling us in on the big secret?"_ Shane asked, staring confusedly at the power disc.

" _Yeah_ ," Hunter agreed, turning his over between his fingers.

"The only way you're going to beat Choobo is to combine your Megazord," said Cam. "Call the Mini Zord. He was part of the program all along."

" _The Mini Zord?"_ Hunter asked.

"Just trust me," said Cam.

"It will be good to see the powers of Wind and Thunder working together," said Sensei.

Kali lifted her head as Shane and Hunter locked and dropped their respective discs, calling upon the mini Megazord that Cam had described. It was, as stated, a miniature version of a Megazord, but in deep blue and with a crescent moon on its chest.

_"I am Mini Zord. Celestial guardian of the sky."_

"Sweet," Kali murmured.

_"Storm Megazord, Thunder Megazord, combine! Thunderstorm Megazord formation, activated!"_

Resting her hand on her hand, Kali watched as her friends combined to form a bigger, more powerful Megazord than before, and used it to obliterate Choobo.

**~X~**

A little while later, after the battle had ended and Hunter, Dustin, and Blake had finished their shifts at Storm Charges, the two teams stood around the table at Ninja Ops.

"Wait, you said no?" said Dustin, disbelief was written across his face as he stared at the Thunder Brothers. "But this is Factory Blue. There are riders out there that would kill for the positions."

"Well, we had something more important to do," said Blake, taking a deep breath. He turned to his brother and nodded.

"We're in," Hunter said, eliciting a cheer from the Wind Ninjas.

Kali stopped mid-step as she entered Ninja Ops from her bedroom. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Why aren't you resting?" Shane asked.

"Sorry, Dad," Kali retorted. "But it's hard to rest when you're all making a racket. Why are you making such a noise?"

Tori nodded at Hunter and Blake. "They decide to stick around and join the team," she said.

"Great," said Kali, forcing a smile.

Blake cocked his head to the side. "Careful, Kali, you're excitement is suffocating," he teased.

The others chuckled.

"Yeah, we thought you'd be happy that we're here," said Hunter. "With us around, it's more protection for your from Lothor."

Kali shrugged. "Hey, I'm not disappointed that you decided to accept your destiny as a Ninja Ranger, or a Mystic guardian, for that matter," she said, shaking her head. "I'm just not too thrilled with sharing my training space with the guy who tried to kill me." She shot a look at Hunter.

"The fact that I chose not to today gets me no credit, huh?" Hunter asked.

"I wouldn't exactly call today's actions a _choice_ ," said Kali. "You still aimed."

"But you _told_ me to shoot you!" Hunter argued.

Kali shrugged.

"Oh, for the love of -" Hunter grumbled.


	13. Boxing Bopp-A-Roo

**I think it's safe to say that my Grammarly hated this chapter!**

* * *

"The banner looks great," said Kali, looking up at the yellow streamer that hung inside Storm Chargers.

"If you had surfing, I would be all over this total trek," said Tori, leaning against the front counter.

Dustin shook his head. "Yeah, that would be fair," he said. "You blowing everyone out of the water?"

"And the problem with that is...?" Tori asked. The Total Trek was an extreme sports competition that Kelly held every year. Last year it included Skateboarding, Motocross, and a mountain bike ride to the finish line. However, this year, Kelly had something different in mind.

Capping her pen, Kelly waved the teens over. "How does this course sound?" she asked, pointing at the whiteboard behind her. "We start at the skate park, then a run to the motocross track, and an urban climb to finish."

"Sounds cool," said Kali.

"You entering, Dustin?" Kelly asked.

Dustin held his hands up and backed away, "I'm never getting on a skateboard again," he said, rubbing his elbows. "I've still got bruises from last year."

Kali, Tori, and Kelly laughed.

"Hey, do you have an entry form for my kick-flip challenge friend here?" Shane asked, entering the store with Hunter in tow.

"Individual or are you guys doing the team competition?" Kelly asked.

"Us, together?" Hunter asked, motioning to himself and Shane with a chuckle.

Shane scoffed. "You'd have a better chance of seeing me on blade skates," he said, folding his arms.

"Just asking," Kelly said, handing Hunter a form. "Well, you're the second one to sign up, Hunter."

"Yeah? Who's first?" Hunter asked.

Shane smirked as Kelly's gaze trailed to him. "You're toast, dirt boy," he said, picking invisible lint from Hunter's shoulder.

"Wait, do you hear that?" Hunter asked, looking around. "It sounds like your hopes and dreams crashing down around you."

Shane laughed mockingly and the pair left.

Kali shook her head as she braced herself against the front counter. "And here we see alpha males in their natural habitat," she said, earning a round of laughter from the others.

**~X~**

"So, wait, you're telling me there is a skating competition happening in Blue Bay Harbour tomorrow, and you're only now telling me about it?" Xander exclaimed. "Why?"

"Because it's not _just_ a skating competition," said Kali. "It's kind of like a Triathlon. You know, where you have to complete three events to win, and last I checked, you couldn't do Motocross."

Xander huffed and folded his arms.

"What's up?" Vida asked, wandering into the Rock Porium kitchen.

"The all great and amazing Xander's pouting because he can't ride a motocross bike," said Kali.

Vida cocked her head to the side. "And why would he need to ride a motocross bike?" she asked.

"So that he can enter the Total Trek competition hosted by Storm Charges tomorrow in Blue Bay Harbour," said Kali "Shane and Hunter are the only two that have entered, but they're so far up each other's asses that they've decided to go at it alone instead of utilising one another's strengths to their advantage."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, they'd be in with a shot of winning this thing if they teamed up," said Kali. "Shane may be good on a board, but he's no racer and vice versa for Hunter. If they were to join forces -"

"Shane could do the skating while Hunter focuses on riding," said Vida, nodding.

Kali pointed at her friend. "Exactly!" she agreed. "But, as I said, they have this whole alpha male rivalry shit going on, that they fail to see the bigger picture."

"I thought it was you that had the beef with Hunter?" Vida asked.

"I wouldn't exactly call it beef," Kali said, shaking her head. "I'm just not 100% over what he did it for me in the Cavern of Souls, and I can't explain it, but something happened to us that day, something strange."

"Strange, how?" Vida asked.

Kali shrugged and lay her arm out on the table. "Since the incident in the Cavern, and the whole adventure on Portico Island, this has appeared and I don't know what it is," she pulled back her sleeve to reveal a weird looking symbol on her left wrist.

"What is that?" Xander asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine," said Kali, tugging down her sleeve. "I showed it to Eithne and she didn't recognise it. But she and Rune are searching the Root core library for answers as we speak."

Vida stared at her friend. "Why does all the weird stuff always happen to you?" she asked.

"You think I know?" Kali asked.

Vida pursed her lips and pushed away from the counter. "Well, whatever it is, it doesn't seem to be bothering you physically," she said. "So, it can't be that bad."

"It doesn't seem to be affecting me at all," said Kali. "I don't know I feel about that."

"Well, if it is anything dangerous or important, then Eithne and Rune will figure it out."

Kali nodded in agreement. If there was one thing she knew about Eithne, it was that she was thorough.

"Wait," Xander said, suddenly, startling the pair. "Dustin rides motocross. Maybe he'll team up with me?"

Kali frowned as she watched Xander rush out the back door, dialling Dustin's number as he disappeared.

"Just ignore him," Vida said. "It's easier."

Kali laughed.

**~X~**

"Why didn't you tell Xander my reasons for not entering?" Dustin asked Kali, following her into Ninja Ops.

Kali shrugged and settled on the pillows beside Tori. "You've met Xander, right? Does he strike you as the type to give anyone a chance to get a word in edgewise?"

"I thought you could handle him?" Tori asked, cocking her head to the side.

"I had other things on my mind," said Kali, her attention drifting. "Besides, you set him straight, I'm guessing?" She looked up at Dustin.

Dustin nodded. "He's persuasive, though," he said. "Almost got me to change my mind."

"Now that sounds like Xander," said Kali. She checked her phone and then slid it back into her pocket. "He hasn't called or messaged to whine or try and get me to get you to change your mind, so I'm assuming he's still moping. It shouldn't last long, however."

Dustin cracked a smile.

"So, what's on your mind?" Tori asked Kali.

Kali turned quickly to the surfer. "What do you mean?" she asked,

"You said that you had other things on your mind besides explaining Dustin's reasons to Xander," said Tori. "What are the other things?"

"Oh, uh, nothing all that important," said Kali, hesitating. Normally she was rather adept at coming up with a lie on the fly, but something about Tori made her reconsider.

Tori narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You sure?" she questioned. "It seemed important enough for you to forget -"

"Hey, uh, where's Shane and Hunter?" Kali asked, cutting Tori off. It wasn't that she didn't trust her new teammates, but she wanted a full understanding of her problems before she brought them to the table for dissecting. For all she knew, she was worried about nothing, and the team didn't need anything more to worry about at the current time.

Blake looked up. He had been silent up until now, just watching how the team interacted. He and his brother were still new to the dynamic, and while Shane and Hunter had clashed immediately, he wanted to fit it and be of use. "Hunter's gone for a run," he explained. "Let's just say his training at the skate park didn't go as planned."

"Yeah, you should've seen Shane at the Motocross track," Dustin laughed. "You'd think after Tsumai cycle training he'd be able to ride a bike. Hunter's going to destroy him tomorrow."

Kali sat back on her haunches. "I stand by my earlier comments of them both being idiots," she said.

Tori, Dustin, and Blake nodded their agreement.

"Speaking of Shane and Hunter," said Cam, entering the room from a side door. "They called before you arrived. There's a monster in the city."

The quartet around the table looked up.

"A monster in the city?" Dustin echoed.

"Why are we only being told about this now?" Blake asked.

Kali and Tori nodded.

"Because Shane and Hunter handled it, not effectively, I might add, but the monster fled before they called it in," said Cam, swivelling around on his computer chair. "They've reassured dad that he's not in the area, and then went back to doing whatever it was they were doing."

Kali furrowed her brow. "Wait, let me get this straight," she said, pushing herself to her feet. "There's a monster in the city, they don't call us in for backup, and even go as far as to let it get away?"

"Seems like it," said Dustin.

"What kind of monster was it?" Tori asked Cam.

Cam shook his head. "Pretty sure Shane said it was a kangaroo with boxing gloves," he answered.

Kali snorted.

"So, a boxing kangaroo is bouncing around Blue Bay Harbour and they're out playing Follow the Leader?" Tori asked.

"Is it Follow the Leader if they're fighting over the position?" Kali asked,

Tori paused. "True," she murmured.

"Sensei, we need help here," said Dustin, looking to his mentor. "You know, something Sensei-Like."

"They must both learn that the best quality of a leader is to understand when to be a follower," Sensei answered.

Dustin scoffed with admiration. "Dude's way deep, especially for a rodent," he said, turning to his friends.

Kali smiled softly. "Could have used that last year when we had this issue with Xander," she said.

"Xander does seem like the type," said Tori, laughing.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say it didn't end well?" Blake asked.

Kali paused and then shrugged. "Well, we got what we wanted out of it," she said. "But, yeah, you'd be right in thinking that it didn't go well leading up to the end. Nick and I argued, Xander and I argued, which resulted in me splitting the team down the middle as I refused to follow him in the end."

"What you're saying is that you're a troublemaker," Blake teased.

"I just finished what he started," Kali defended.

Blake chuckled.

"Cam, that kangaroo clown's back for round two!" Shane's voice echoed over the monitors.

"Right," said Cam, spinning around for to face the others.

Kali stood and glanced at the others. "Ready?" she asked.

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! - Power of Water. Power of Earth!"

"Thunder Storm, Ranger Form! - Power of Thunder!"

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form! - Power of Darkness!"

**~X~**

"I'm one manically mad marsupial!" the Boxing Kangaroo howled.

Tori cocked her head to the side and glanced at Shane. "What did he say?" she asked.

"No idea," Shane replied, shaking his head.

"A confirmatory conflagration!" the kangaroo bellowed, punching his chest. The dial-in the centre spun and landed on the dial where a house was on fire. Flames wrapped themselves around the kangaroo and he channelled them into his fists, before throwing them at the Rangers.

The team groaned as they hit a brick wall.

"Aha, rumble-fried Rangers!" the kangaroo laughed. "Exceptional, positively no current commotion as they are fully in the grasp of my fingerments!"

"I've had enough of this!" Shane growled, forcing himself to his feet. "Come on!"

"Storm Striker!" the Wind Rangers called, combining their weapons.

"Thunder Blaster!" the Thunders followed.

Before the two energy balls could hit the kangaroo, a shield erected between them, bouncing the balls back.

"Whoa!" Kali cried, sending up a shield of her own. "What happened?"

"Some kind of shield," said Hunter. "I'm guessing by the sound of your tone, it wasn't yours."

Kali turned quickly to him. "Why would I erect a shield to protect him?" she asked.

"I did it!" Marah squealed. She had appeared behind the Rangers with her sister and Zurgane. "It worked! My shield worked. How cool am I?"

"How lucky are you?" Kapri asked.

Tori sighed. "Great. The whole family is here," she grumbled.

"Not exactly," said Kali, noticing Lothor's absence. "But close enough."

"Let's do this!" said Shane.

The others nodded and broke up, each one taking on a different opponent.

Kali ducked under Kapri's sword and then raised it above her head to block the staff coming down. While locked, Kapri aimed a punch for Kali's exposed stomach, but was blocked by Hunter's thunder staff. Throwing her weight upwards, Kali shoved Kapri back and nodded her thanks to Hunter.

"Bopp-a-Roo taught us some bucolic biggerific tricks," said Marah.

"Let's face the ruckus through rareficated roosterments," said Kapri, grinning.

Blake glanced at Kali and Hunter. "Did you get any of that?" he asked.

"Not a word," Hunter replied.

Kali shook her head. "I have a five-year-old sister with a motor neurone disease, and even she can speak better than that!" she said.

"Hey!" Marah called, stepping forward. The thunders and Kali jumped backwards, their fingers tightening around their swords and staffs, ready for an attack. Marah smirked and dipped her head forward. "Look deep into my eyes, Ranger boy," she murmured at Blake.

Kali watched as two snake-like electric tendrils looped around Blake's waist, pinning his arms to his side. He struggled and dropped his staff, before being hauled into the air and slammed against a fire escape a few feet up.

Blake groaned as the tendrils disappeared and he hit the ground on his stomach.

"Come on, put 'em up!" Kapri challenged Hunter.

"You got it!" said Hunter, wielding his staff. He stabbed it at Kapri but she ducked and dodged in avoidance. Kali watched as she then lept into the air, bouncing over Hunter multiple times before landing on his staff and winding up for a punch, only to punch him with her other hand instead.

Hunter groaned as he fell back. "You cheated!" he accused.

Kali rolled her eyes, grabbed her sword and flipped over the Crimson Ranger. "Evil's not known for playing fair, Bradley," she said, grabbing Kapri's fist as the pink-haired female swung for her.

Kapri hissed as Kali twisted her wrist in a direction it wasn't meant to go and then slammed her palm into her stomach. The pink-haired female stumbled and fell to one knee as Kali let her go. "You call that a punch?" she laughed.

"I call that saving energy," said Kali.

Kapri glared at Kali before retreating to Bopp-A-Roo's side. "Wait," she said, facing Shane, Tori, and Dustin as they levelled her with the Storm Striker. "You thought hers was good? Try mine." She smirked and used her hand to create a shield around her and the others.

"That looks pretty strong," said Tori.

"What now?" Shane asked.

Hunter glanced up. "What if we combined all our weapons?" he suggested.

"That might work!" Shane agreed.

The others nodded and attached Dustin's lion hammer to the end of Hunter's blaster. "Thunderstorm Cannon!" they called.

"Look at that thing!" Marah whimpered.

"Let's get out of here!" Kapri called.

"No need to tell me twice," Zurgane agreed.

The trio disappeared, leaving Bopp-A-Roo alone. "My buddies have bailed!" he howled, slamming his fists together.

"Time for you to bail out, too," said Kali, powering up her Ninja sword. She turned to the others. "Ready?"

"Full power!" Shane called. He pulled the trigger and an energy ball slammed into the shield, shattering it.

Racing forward, Kali leapt into the air and swung her sword above her head. "Darkness wave!" she called, channelling her dark magic into the sword's blade and slashing it down on Bopp-A-Roo.

The kangaroo howled as he exploded.

**~X~**

"... and the winners of this year's total trek is the team of Shane and Hunter," said Kelly, presenting the two partners with their trophy. The pair held the trophy up and flashed their medals at the camera as a quick shot was snapped of them.

As the camera crew shut off their equipment and wandered away, Shane and Hunter turned their attention to their teammates that had come out to watch them, including the Mystic Rangers from Briarwood. While they had been the source of everyone's attention before the event had started, it had quickly subdued when Shane hit the skating bowl.

"I would hardly have called it a competition in the end," said Kali, taking the trophy from the new partnership and examining it. "I mean, you didn't compete against any other competitors or teams. So, it was an easy win."

"You saying we cheated?" Shane asked.

Kali shook her head. "No, I'm saying it was an easy win," she said. "Competition is usually against one or more participants. If you'd stayed as individuals, then it would've been a competition. But you didn't, you paired up, taking out the competition."

"There's just no pleasing some people," Hunter said, shaking his head. "You wanted us to work together, now you're complaining about it?"

"Work together when we're suited up," said Kali. "You don't have to work together on every little thing in your life. We didn't," she nodded at her former team, "and we turned out just fine."

Hunter and Shane glanced at one another, shrugged and then clasped hands. The teamwork didn't last long, however, as the competitive spirit returned, and they both pushed against one another, eager to be the one to floor the other.

"You happy now?" Blake asked, nudging Kali. "They're competing again."

"Whatever," Kali muttered, walking away with the trophy.

Blake, Dustin, and Tori shared an amused smile, before shooting Shane and Hunter pitiful looks before they turned to follow Kali.


	14. Samurai's Journey, Part I

"No way, dude. There's no way he does it," Hunter scoffed, shaking his head.

"I don't, dude. He's pretty strong for a little guy," said Dustin, glancing up and then back down.

"Quiet," Shane scolded. "A little respect for the Master."

Kali cocked her head to the side and glanced at Tori, grinning as she met the blonde's gaze and then folded her arms across her stomach as she returned her attention to the centre of their circle. Sensei stood on a stone brick, with another solid one before him. His lesson today was about inner strength.

"Now watch closely, Rangers," Sensei said, mustering up all his strength. He jumped into the air, flipped over and landed on the second block, shattering it in half.

Shane, Dustin, Hunter, and Blake laughed in impressive amusement.

"See, now that..." Shane started.

"... was radical!" Blake finished.

Tori glanced at Hunter. "You were saying?" she asked.

"I stand corrected. But how?" Hunter asked.

"The power comes not from the body, but from the mind," Tori explained.

"Correct, Tori," Sensei nodded.

Hunter grinned and rubbed his hands together. "All right, I'm up," he said, eager to prove his abilities.

"You sure you want to go there, bro?" Blake asked.

"Look, if he can do it... uh, I'm going to give it my best shot," said Hunter, backpedaling slightly.

Kali scoffed as Shane set another stone in front of Hunter. "This should be interesting," she muttered to Tori.

Tori grinned.

Hunter smirked, confidently, and knelt beside the stone slab. He took a deep breath and elevated his hand above the rock before drawing it down with a smack. The brick, did not break, but the look on Hunter's face was enough to make Kali burst out laughing.

"Looks like rodent - 1, Thunder Ninja - zip," Kali teased.

"You think you can do it?" Hunter asked.

"Oh, I know I can't," said Kali. "But, at least I'm big enough to admit that."

Hunter stood up and towered over Kali. "So, what you're saying is, without magic, you can't even do basic ninja training?" he challenged.

The laughter and amusement at Hunter's fail faded from Kali's face, and her eyes narrowed. "I've done my inner strength training, Bradley," she said.

"Yeah? Prove it," said Hunter, placing a new brick on the ground. He stepped aside and motioned for Kali to take his place.

Kali looked from Hunter to the brick and back again. She'd never backed down from a challenge before, but Sensei had agreed that she needn't not take part in this exercise given she had already mastered it with the Mystic's, but she also refused to let Hunter feel like he had one up on her.

Stepping around the stone slab, Kali knelt before it and stared at the smooth, marble surface. Her hand clenched into a fist and she felt the muscles in her arm pull tighter. She could've been the bigger person and walked away, but she also knew that meant giving Hunter the right to tease her endlessly.

Flexing her fist, Kali raised her hand above the stone slab and took a deep, calming breath. She closed her eyes and focused her energy, imagining the slab breaking after touching it.

"Son of a -" Kali cried as her hand hit the marble. The pain radiated from her hand, up her arm, and stopped at her shoulder. But the others gasped, and when she looked down she noticed a crack running the width of the marble slab. It had stopped meters from the bottom, so the stone hadn't completely broken, but she had still managed to one-up Hunter.

With a grin, Kali looked up at the Crimson Ranger, and stood.

"Cheater," Hunter said, stubbornly.

"How?" Kali asked. "If I had used magic then it wouldn't have freaking hurt as much as it did!"

Hunter shrugged and crossed his arms. "There is no way a newbie can do that on her first go," he said.

"Whatever," Kali said, stepping away from the group. She approached Cam's work station and sat beside the monitor, flexing her arm and hand to ease away the pain while the others took their turns. While none of them came close to breaking the slab like she had, although Tori was the only other person that did manage to cause the slab to crack a little, the boys all failed.

Once the lesson had ended, Sensei gathered his students around the table. Each of them were massaging their wrists - Blake sat with an ice pack after stupidly smashing his head into the slab - and wincing as they worked the pain from their aching limbs.

"You have come far in your training, but you still have a long way to go," said Sensei.

"Some of us more than others," Kali muttered, half-glancing at Hunter.

Hunter shot her a dark look.

"Yeah, but you're, like, a full-on, like, Super Ninja Master," said Dustin, massaging his fingers.

Sensing movement, Kali glanced around and spotted Cam approaching the stone slabs. He let out a cry, which caught the others attention, and then slammed his hand down onto the marble, shattering it in half, much to the surprise of everyone.

"Oh, what?" Shane scoffed.

"What?" Cam asked.

"All right, how did you do that?" Shane asked, laughing. "Ho-ho ho! You used some laser beam thing, right?"

Kali rolled her eyes.

"Or you switched the bricks. I saw that in a stunt show once at a movie theme park," said Dustin.

Cam hefted half of the stone up and tossed it at Dustin. He stepped back as it hit the ground with a heavy thud at his feet.

"Okay, maybe not," Dustin said, realising his mistake.

"It's got to be a trick," said Hunter.

Cam scoffed. "You still don't get it, do you?" he asked.

"Get what?" Shane asked.

"Just because someone isn't a Ranger doesn't make them completely useless," Cam explained. He met Kali's gaze and shook his head. "I need some air."

As Cam left, Kali punched Shane's shoulder and hurried after him, muttering under her breath.

**~X~**

Cam took a deep breath as he stood on the lake shore. He turned the pebbles in his hand over, brushing his thumb against the smooth surface several times before skipping it along the surface. He glanced to his right as the stones crunched behind him, and he smiled slightly as Kali appeared in his life of vision.

"Sorry," Cam apologised. "I just had to get out of there."

"You don't have to apologise, Cam," said Kali, shaking her head. "For anything. You didn't do anything wrong back there, the others are just idiots."

Cam smiled lightly. He was glad that it was Kali that had come to check on him. When she had first joined the team, he had thought she would treat him like the others, like some fragile child that couldn't look after himself; but she had proved him wrong, and treated him like any other human being.

"Have you spoken to Sensei about your training?" Kali asked, breaking the silence. It had been a few weeks since the initial conversation, and she had yet to see Cam participate in any training sessions outside her own.

Cam shook his head. "He keeps changing the subject when I attempt to bring up the conversation," he said. "I still think he is weary."

"That's fair," said Kali. "I mean, he's still your dad, at the end of the day. He's going to be weary, no matter what you take on."

"I know, but I know if I'm a Ranger then the others will respect me."

Kali shook her head. "You shouldn't have to change who you are to get respect, Cam," she said. "The others need to open their eyes and realise that, without you, they wouldn't even _be_ Rangers."

Cam sighed. He knew she was right, but it still didn't ease his doubts. He skipped another rock, watching as it bounced five paces across the surface. "I don't know what to do," he said.

"You need to talk to your dad again," said Kali. "Sure, he only wants what is best for you, but, at the end of the day, you are your own person. You need to tell him how much this means to you, and make sure that he understands its importance. Trust me, he's the most reasonable, well, Guinea Pig I've ever met."

Cam chuckled and Kali smiled.

"Go to talk to him," Kali said, encouragingly.

"Okay. But if he doesn't listen, I'm not cleaning his cage for a month," said Cam.

Kali laughed and shook her head. "Yeah, I can imagine that," she said. "You're a neat freak at the best of times. A whole month? It would drive _you_ crazy."

Cam threw his last pebble towards the lake and turned his back. Kali followed him, but as the rock hit the surface it exploded, causing the pair to whip back around and find themselves face-to-face with Marah, Kapri, their newest, weird-looking monster, and a small fray of foot soldiers.

"We hate to break up this greeting card moment," Kapri sneered.

"But we're, like, here to destroy you," said Marah, glancing at her sister. "Evil enough for you?"

Kali scoffed. "The fact that you have to ask, proves that it's not," she said, clenching her fists.

"Attack!" Kapri ordered.

The weird-looking monster pulled back its arm and then thrust it out at the pair, blasting them with a strand of yellow energy. Kali shoved Cam aside and raised her morpher, deflecting the blast with a shield.

"Kali! Cam!"

Looking around, Kali smiled as Tori and the others arrived at the water's edge.

"I've heard of cities coming to life, but this is ridiculous," said Dustin, motioning to the latest monster.

"Ha ha! Everybody's a comedian," the monster retorted. "You going to morph, or do I have to beg?"

Kali frowned.

"You got it," said Shane, taking the lead.

Kali glanced at her friend. "Wait, something doesn't feel right," she said, placing a hand on his arm. "He's the first monster in, well, ever, that has _asked_ a Ranger to morph. I think it's a trap."

"How can you be so sure?" Blake asked.

"Because this isn't my first rodeo, obviously," said Kali.

Shane hesitated. "Then what do you want us to do?" he asked.

"Trust me, black ranger," said the monster. "You're not going to beat me without your superpowers."

Kali scoffed. " _Trust me_ ," she said. "There are hundreds of monsters out there that would disagree. I'm actually related to one of them."

"Look, Kali, you know I trust your abilities," said Shane. "But we can't take any chances here. We have to morph."

Kali shrugged and stepped away. "Fine. Do what you need to," she said. "But I'm taking leeway on this."

"You sure?" Tori asked.

Kali nodded and stepped over towards Cam. "If it turns out I'm wrong," she turned back to Marah and Kapri. "I'll concede."

"That'll be amusing," Hunter muttered.

"Ready?" Shane asked, looking around at the others.

They nodded.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! - Power of Earth, Air, and Water!"

"Thunder Storm, Ranger Form! - Power of Thunder!"

The monster laughed and ordered the others to attack, while launching himself into the air and at the Rangers.

"Cam, run!" Hunter yelled, before he was overcome by the monster.

Kali turned to Cam. "Don't listen to him," she said, shaking her head, and ducking beneath a Kelzak. "If you think you can help, which I know you can, then stay."

Cam nodded and blocked a punch from an oncoming Kelzak. He quickly made his way through the throng, as Kali disappeared down towards the lake, heading directly for Marah and Kapri. The two sisters turned and fired lasers at the black ranger, but she blocked them with her shield.

"What are you two playing at!" Kali said, gripping Marah's shoulders and tossing her aside. The younger of the two almost seemed more naïve and easier to handle, but the older was more of a challenge.

"You'll find out soon enough," said Kapri, laughing. She pulled her sword over her shoulder and swung it at Kali,

Kali ducked and kicked Kapri in the knee, sending her stumbling back into the lake. The pink-haired alien shrieked and Kali flipped over backwards to avoid an energy blast from the tip of her sword.

As she landed further up the beach, Kali was taken by surprise from behind and quickly overcome by a swarm of Kelzaks. They forced her to her knees, two holding her arms to the side and another standing above her with his dagger at her throat.

Behind her, and slightly to the right, lay Cam. He had been forced onto his back by the Kelzaks, each of them keeping him down by holding their daggers over him.

Kali struggled as the monster rendered her friends to her knees, but the Kelzaks holding her refused to budge.

"Now for the drain event!" the monster said, standing over the others. He opened the sphere he carried under his arm, and Kali watched with a bated breath as the energy and colour drained from her friends.

They each collapsed once the monster resealed his sphere and laughed coldly. "Got 'em," he said, returning to Marah and Kapri.

"You guys are looking a little pale," Kapri mocked.

"You should try a little makeup," Marah said, giggling. "I've got these colour charts that will totally match your skin tones."

"Pleasure doing business with you, Power losers!" the monster said, holding up the sphere. There was a flash and he, along with Marah, Kapri, and the Kelzaks disappeared.

Staggering to her feet, Kali raced across the shore to the others. She caught Tori's arm and helped the blonde up, supporting her against her side as she reached out to hold Dustin and prevent him from stumbling away.

"What did he do to them?" Kali asked Cam.

Cam shook his head. "I don't know," he admitted. "We need to get back to Ops."

**~X~**

Shane panted as Cam ran a scanner over his chest, checking him for any signs of injury or issues that would indicate a problem.

"I knew something didn't feel right," said Kali, pacing behind the others. "There has never been a monster in Ranger history that has asked the resident team to morph in order to fight. Why did Madtropolis seem so eager to be destroyed?"

"Because he had an Ace up his sleeve," said Cam. He stopped the scan and turned to the computer, calculating the results. "He's drained their Ranger energy force," he explained, turning to Kali.

"Meaning?" Kali asked.

"Meaning, if they go out and fight again there's a good chance they won't come back."

Kali swallowed and glanced around at her friends.

"Dude, that's harsh," said Dustin, struggling to hold his head up.

"This is grave news," said Sensei, overlooking his students. "We must find a way to retrieve your powers."

The monitor beeped and Madtropolis appeared in the warehouse district.

" _Hahaha! That was too easy!_ " Madtropolis laughed.

"All right, it's go time," said Shane, trying to get up.

"You can barely stand, Shane," said Cam, pushing the red ranger back into his seat.

"I'm not going to sit here while that freak is loose," said Shane, shaking his head.

"That's why you're not going," said Kali, shaking her head. "Any of you," she added, as the others started to protest. She glanced at the monitor, her eyes set on Madtropolis and the sphere. "I'm the one that's going."

Cam shook his head. "That's risky, too," he argued. "You're the last one of us with any powers left. If he get's yours to, who knows what he'll do."

"And what if Lothor powers him up with Scroll of Empowerment?" Hunter asked. "How do you intend to fight him with no Megazord?"

"How do you?" Kali asked. "You can barely lift your head, there is no way you'd survive a Megazord battle. Besides, it's not going to come to that."

"You sound so sure," said Blake.

"Because I am," said Kali. "I'm going to teleport in, grab the sphere, and teleport back. It'll happen so quick that Madtropolis won't even know what happened."

Cam hesitated.

"I have too," said Kali. "Like you said, I'm the only one with any powers left."

Cam sighed and turned to his computer. "Fine," he caved. "But first, let me put a protective charm around your morpher, it will prevent Madtropolis from trying to steal your powers when you face him."

Kali looked down black tendrils covered her morpher and then disappeared, leaving behind a slightly shiny coating in its wake.

Meeting Cam's gaze, Kali nodded and then, with one last look around at her friends, disappeared.

**~X~**

Tori breathed heavily as she watched Kali fight Madtropolis. The minute she had arrived in the warehouse district, he had tried to take her powers, but Cam's protection shield seemed to be holding steady. In his frustration, Madtropolis had cast a blanket of darkness over the whole area, and both he and Kali disappeared from the radar.

The disappearing act didn't last long, and a few minutes later, Kali and Madtropolis reappeared in the district.

" _How seriously foolish are you?_ " Kali asked. " _Trying to trap the Hellhound in a dark dimension._ "

Madtropolis growled and launched himself at her, and Kali ducked to avoid him. " _Just give up, Ranger, your friends are finished, there is no way you can beat us alone,"_ he said.

" _You think the Ninja Rangers are the only team out there?_ " Kali scoffed. " _You can't even fathom how many former Rangers would drop everything to come here and take on Lothor. They stopped their evil from taking over, they're not about to let him. Besides, right now? I'm not here for Lothor. I'm here to save my friends."_

" _Save them? Once I get that ball back, you'll join them._ "

Kali laughed and jumped backward as Madtropolis lunged for her. She danced her way out of his grasp, pulling her sword over her shoulder and slashing it at him as he raised his own. The two blades clashed, and Kali cocked her head to the side.

" _In order to get home, you'll have to destroy me first,_ " said Madtropolis.

" _Oh, don't worry,_ " said Kali, raking her sword down Madtropolis' chest plates. He sparked and stumbled away from her. " _I intend too_."

Hunter rolled his eyes.

"Careful, Hunter, someone would think you're jealous," Tori teased.

Hunter scoffed. "Of her?" he asked, pointing at the monitor. "No way."

Tori laughed. "How she doing, Cam?" she asked, returning her attention to the monitors.

"She's holding her own," said Cam, nodding. "But Madtropolis has pulled out all the stops. What started as a small extraction has turned into a battle of wit."

"Woah," Dustin breathed. "How did he do that?"

Madtropolis had just multiplied several hundred times, and each of them were closing in on Kali. She seemed to hesitate, unsure of which one was the real one.

"Dad, can you help her?" Cam asked his father.

Sensei nodded and closed his eyes, reaching out with his mind and linking it with Kali's. "Kali, you must listen to me carefully," he said. "You must trust your heart. Your eyes will deceive you."

" _You got it, Sensei,_ " Kali said, lowering her sword. The others watched as she focused her breathing, her arm stiffening around the sphere tucked behind her elbow. She then turned, swiftly, to her left, and slashed her sword against the Madtropolis there.

He sparked and was tossed aside, rolling through the others and causing them to disappear.

"She did it!" Tori grinned.

"So she managed a basic Ninja move," Hunter muttered. "Whoop-de-doo!"

Tori frowned at him. What was his deal?

Returning her sword to its sheath, Kali held the ball in her hands and cocked her head to the side. The others didn't need to see her face to know that she was smiling, patronizingly at Madtropolis.

" _Well, it's been fun,_ " Kali said. " _But, I'm taking my ball and going home. Have fun telling Lothor you failed."_

She disappeared.

**~X~**

The minute she reappeared in Ops, Kali noticed Madtropolis grow to Megazord heights on the monitors and turned to the others. "Let's figure out how to get your powers back before you go out there," she said, watching as they prepared themselves to leave.

"We don't have time," said Shane, shaking his head. "He could've destroyed have the city by then."

"And he'll destroy you along with it!" Kali argued.

But Shane was determined. "You've done your job," he said. "Now it's our turn. Cam's given us a boost in energy, we should be okay."

"'Should be' doesn't sound okay," said Kali, glancing at Cam.

"It's the best I could do," Cam explained. "They're going, regardless of what we say."

Kali sighed and turned to her friends. "Be careful!" she said. "Trust me when I say fighting him, even at full strength, wasn't easy."

"We're expecting him this time," said Shane. He shuffled past her, and the others followed.

Kali watched them go and then turned to Cam as they left. She held up the sphere and set it down on the table. "How are we going to open this?" she asked.

"I don't know," said Cam, shaking his head. "I've never seen anything like this before. Maybe magic could help?"

Kali stared at the sphere. "I could call Eithne and Leanbow, maybe they know something?" she asked.

"Do it," said Cam. "I need to keep an eye on the others."

Kali nodded and took out her phone as Cam turned back to the computer. She dialed Nick's number and waited for him answer, when he did, she was disappointed to learn that he was in Briarwood and not at Root core.

" _Why, what's wrong?_ " Nick asked.

"We've hit a problem," said Kali. "I needed to ask Eithne or Leanbow for help. But don't worry, I'll figure something out."

" _You sure?_ "

"Yeah. I'll call you later."

Kali hung up and began pacing, her mind racing a mile a minute as she tried to think of a way to free her friends Ranger powers. She could try tapping into her Hellhound abilities, but if that failed then she could cause more damage by sending the sphere somewhere unknown.

"They're out of energy," Cam sighed in frustration. "Isn't there anything we can do?" he asked his father.

"In the past, there was a power mighty enough to help us, but there is no sense in longing for what has long since been destroyed," Sensei answered.

Kali frowned and cocked her head to the side. "No offence, Sensei, but we don't have time for riddles," she said. "This is serious. If you know something, you need to tell us."

"She's right, Dad," said Cam.

"It is useless to discuss," said Sensei, shaking his head. "We cannot safely predict how the portal will respond to -"

He broke off as Cam spun around on his chair, startling Kali and causing her to step back in alarm.

"The Scroll of Time!" Cam exclaimed, rocketing out of his seat and across the room. He jumped up onto the library's ledge and reached forward, stopping as Sensei landed between his fingers and the scrolls basket.

"No!" Sensei shouted. "You must not disturb that which is the natural progress of time,"

"If I don't do something, there won't be any time left," Cam argued. "You know I have to do this."

"To confront one's past is an awesome responsibility," Sensei explained. "It risks changing everything you know about the present."

"I have to take that chance," said Cam.

Sensei hesitated and glanced back at Kali. When she nodded, he sighed and stepped aside, allowing his son to pick up the Scroll in question and drop back onto ground level.

Cam met Kali's gaze as he unfurled the scroll, and the writing started to glow. It pulled from his hand and grew larger, opening a swirling portal before him.

"Are you certain this is the only way?" Sensei asked. "Our time here will be frozen until the writing on the scroll fades away."

"I can't think of anything more desperate than this, can you?" asked Cam..

"No, I cannot," said Sensei.

"And I can't think of any power source but one that will help us," said Cam, swallowing hard. "I'm going back to the past to get it."

"Cam, you must hurry, or you will be trapped in the past forever," Sensei warned.

"I know. Let's hope it doesn't come to that," said Cam.

Sensei smiled. "You have your mother's courageous heart and your father's stubborn head," he said. "Be careful, my son."

"I'll be back, dad. I promise," said Cam, turning his focus to the portal. He stepped forward, but stopped as Kali put her hand on his shoulder.

Kali stared at the swirling vortex and then turned to Cam. "You can't go alone," she said.

"And you can't come with me," said Cam. "We don't know how far back this time jump goes. It could be way before the Great Battle. If you come, you may not be able to access the Hellhound abilities, and if we get stuck, you'll be powerless."

Kali pointed at the monitor. "I'm powerless here," she said. "At least back there I can help put this right. Besides, I still have my magical abilities, not all of it is connected to the Hellhound."

Cam sighed and then nodded. While he wanted to protect her as much as possible, he was still thankful her her company, and help. "Ready?" he asked.

Kali nodded and reached for his hand. The pair shared one last look, and then stepped through the portal together.


	15. Samurai's Journey, Part II

Kali scanned her surroundings and smiled lightly. A waterfall descended over the rocks ahead of her, and a litter of fine leaves were scatted on the ground near the shoreline. It looked almost like the entrance they had just left in the future.

"Did it work?" Cam asked. "This all looks the same."

"It worked," said Kali, taking a deep breath.

"How can you tell?"

"I can sense it. Close your eyes, you can feel the difference in the air. The magic gives off a different aura than what I am used to feeling."

Cam glanced at her and smiled at the calmness on her face. He then froze at the sound of clicks approaching from behind. Turning on the spot, Cam took a hesitant step backwards causing Kali to turn around, too.

"Oh. Hello," Kali breathed, reaching out to touch the head of the magnificent black horse. The horse snorted and pressed his head against her palm.

"How did you do that?" the man on top of the horse asked. He was wearing a black ninja gi with red accents, identical to the one that Shane wore during training. "He's normally wary of people."

Kali glanced up and cocked her head to the side. "Believe me when I tell you that this horse and I are going to have a lot of run-ins one day," she said, scratching the horse behind the ears. "Isn't that right, Catastros?"

"Who are you?" the Ninja asked.

"First, answer my question," said Kali. "What year is it?"

The ninja cocked his head to the side. "1973."

Kali glanced back at Cam. "Thirty years," she murmured.

"Why is that an issue?" the Ninja inquired.

"Not an issue, exactly," said Kali, turning back to the Ninja. "More of a concern, at least on my part."

The Ninja shook his head and jumped down from Catastros back. "How did you get here?" he asked. "Not many people stumble across this place by accident."

"Unless they're meant to be here, right?" Kali asked.

The Ninja stared at her through his headgear. It was a little unnerving, but Kali was used to things that unnerved others. "Who are you?" he repeated.

"My name's Kali."

"And him?"

"Cam," Kali answered. "Who are you?"

"That doesn't matter," the Ninja said, shaking his head. "Regardless of whether you're meant to be here or not, no one gets into the academy without the password. Do you know it?"

Kali hesitated and turned to Cam.

"Air, Water, and Earth as one," Cam said, confidently.

"Sorry. Wrong answer," the Ninja said, lunging forward.

Kali turned and held out her hand. She hit the Ninja in the chest and blasted him backwards across the clearing, he remained standing but looked dazed and confused. Shaking his head, he narrowed his eyes at Kali and stepped forward,

"How did you do that?" the Ninja asked. "The only people who have that kind of magic are -"

"The Mystics," said Kali, nodding. "Yeah. I'm aware."

The ninja swept Kali over from head to toe and he folded his arms. "Who are you?" he asked again. But this time Kali knew he meant to know more than just her name.

Kali sighed. "Look, my name is Kali," she said. "But I do go by another. Problem is, she doesn't exist yet. We can't tell you everything, because, trust me, you a) won't believe us or b) we'll be in a lot of trouble. Just trust me when I tell you we wouldn't be here if we weren't in desperate need of help. It seems, we need your help, or you wouldn't have found us."

The Ninja stared hard at Kali, before relaxing and dropping his arms to his sides. "Fine," he said. "I'll grant you access. But, my sensei would like to see you first."

**~X~**

The Great Hall, according to Cam, hadn't changed in the slightest after thirty years. It was still expansive and housed several round tables, which were scatted all over the room and surrounded by red, yellow, and blue cushions for students to kneel or sit.

"Is there a certain seating plan or can you sit where you want?" Kali asked.

"New students sit together," said Cam. "The older students are allowed to mingle."

Kali nodded and followed the Ninja through a door to the left. He was taking them to his Sensei.

"Do you think it was wise to slip that you're not technically born yet?" Cam asked, lowering his voice.

"We needed him to trust us," said Kali. "He partly did because I recognised Catastros, I'm guessing that doesn't happen often around here. But he was still wary of us, understandably so, I'd imagine. Besides, something tells me my life won't be affected too badly with what I say here, he's not a mystic. You, on the other hand, need to be careful."

Cam nodded, understanding her concern. Thirty years into the past meant that his parents were around here somewhere. His mother and father had met at this academy when they were students, but where and how was the issue that stood before them. If he were to come in contact with them, he could change his whole future.

The Ninja stopped outside of a door and knocked three times.

"Enter," a voice called.

The door opened, and the Ninja ushered them inside. "Sensei, I caught these intruders," he said, bowing upon entry. "She has magic, powerful magic, I might add, and she knows about the Mystics."

"And him?" Sensei asked, nodding at Cam.

"He led me here," said Kali. "If he didn't know the way, then we wouldn't have found your secret entrance. That should count for something."

Sensei stared at her and then nodded. "Okay. In that case. Kanoi," he turned to his student.

Cam gasped silently, causing Kali to turn to him, her brows furrowed.

"Yes, Sensei?" Kanoi asked, stepping forward.

"Give this young man a test uniform and have him join the new students," Sensei instructed. "We'll soon know if he's meant to be here."

"Test uniforms?" Cam interrupted. "You still have -"

Kali nudged him.

"Until we can decide whether you belong to Air, Earth, or Water, you'll wear no colour," Sensei informed them.

Cam nodded.

"As for you, young lady, a Mystic hasn't graced our halls in centuries," Sensei continued. "You'll stay with me, as a guest of honour. Which Mystic are you, may I ask?"

Kali half-glanced at Cam. "I'm a student mystic, actually," she said. "I study under the Black Mystic - Merlock."

"Ah. Darkness," Sensei nodded. "Powerful, yet fickle, magic."

"Tell me about it," Kali muttered.

With one final sweep, Sensei nodded at Kanoi, ending the meeting. "Oh, one more thing. Kanoi, don't be late for class again," said Sensei. "I'm beginning to question your commitment to your ninja training."

"Yes, Sensei," Kanoi said. He bowed and turned to Cam. "Follow me."

"Good luck," Kali muttered as Cam followed Kanoi from the room.

**~X~**

An hour later, dressed in his new test uniform, Cam stood amongst other new ninja recruits in front of a large state in the academy grounds. The new group stood the Wind Ninja students, all dressed in their traditional uniforms. He glanced around, and finally found the person he was looking for - Kali stood off to the left-hand side of the stage, her gaze roaming the grounds before locking with his own.

Kali smiled, lightly and reassuringly at him.

"Students, stand at ease," Sensei said, gathering everyone's attention. He stood in the centre of the large stage. "Please join me in welcoming our esteemed guest, all the way from the Mystic Realm of Briarwood." He turned to Kali, as did every eye on the grounds.

Kali felt a rush of warmth spread up her neck and forced an awkward smile as the students, old and new, greeted her in unison.

"Now, in the tradition of the Wind Ninja Academy, we must welcome our new students with a demonstration," Sensei continued. "Our best fighter, Kanoi, will demonstrate the sword techniques of the Wind Ninja."

As Kanoi Watanabe started his routine, Kali glanced at Cam and smiled at the proud look on his face. She paused, and furrowed her brow, however, as she noticed a student in an Earth uniform lean towards her friend. He was identical to Kanoi, and she could guess that he was a twin.

"Something more interesting to you?" Sensei asked.

Kali gave a startled gasp and looked up. "Sorry," she apologised. "I just couldn't help but notice..." she nodded at the student beside Cam.

"Ah. Yes. That would be Kanoi's brother, Kyia," said Sensei. "A bit of a wild card, if I am honest but skilled in his element."

"I bet," Kali muttered.

Sensei considered her and then turned his attention back to his students. "For the next part of our demonstration," he said, walking amongst the recruits. "We shall need a volunteer." He stopped in front of Cam, before moving on to a petite recruit in a headwrap beside him.

Kali cocked her head to the side as she watched the new student take the stage, a wooden sword already in hand.

"But, Sensei, this is a new student," Kanoi said. "The fight is unfair."

"We shall see," Sensei said. "You may begin."

Kanoi gripped the hilt of his sword and turned to the new student. They both bowed in respect of one another, and then Kanoi drew his weapon.

The fight went back and forth for a few seconds, each time with the new student returning their sword to its cover before their next blow. Gasps and whispers swept through the other students and recruits, and Kali couldn't help the grin on her face as she watched the demonstration unfold.

"They don't know, do they?" Kali asked, turning to Sensei.

"Know what?" Sensei asked.

Kali smirked at the all-knowing look on his face. "I'm not the only female present today," she said.

"You catch on quick," said Sensei, turning back to the demonstration.

"Not really," said Kali, shaking her head. "I'm just more observant."

Soon the fight ended with Kanoi on his back and his opponent standing over him, sword back in its sheath and their boot on his arm, pinning him down.

"Excellent, Miko," Sensei congratulated, stepping up onto the stage again.

The new student stepped and Kanoi scuttled backwards and staggered to his feet. "Miko?" he echoed. "That's the name of a girl."

Miko removed her headgear and shook out her hair. Kali drew in a breath, her eyes widening as she recognised the woman on the stage, she quickly turned to find Cam and saw her surprise reflected on his face.

"He's a she. I mean, she's a girl," Kanoi stuttered.

"That seems fairly obvious," Kali said.

"Kanoi, meet your victor - Miko," said Sensei.

Miko bowed.

"But her swordwork - it's not the Wind Ninja way," said Kanoi, shaking his head.

"Very observant. I was trained as a Samurai by my father," Miko explained.

Kanoi turned quickly to his teacher. "Sensei, this school's bound by tradition. There are no women allowed here," he said.

"Why, are you afraid of a girl?" Kiya asked. "Maybe our traditions need to be changed."

"Oh, you like breaking the rules, don't you, brother?" Kanoi asked. "I know what you get up to in your free time."

Kiya took an agitated step forward and pointed at Kanoi. "Watch what you say, brother. One shouldn't make accusations with proof to back them up," he said.

"Enough. This student has displayed impressive skills and will be allowed to enrol here as the first female in the school's history," Sensei said, breaking up the argument.

Kali watched as Kanoi huffed and stormed off the stage, shoulder-checking Kiya as he passed. Meanwhile, Miko beamed and bowed at her new Sensei. As she straightened up, Kali noticed a small green amulet around her neck and watched as Miko tucked it beneath her uniform as she realised others had noticed it, too.

**~X~**

Cam walked alongside Kali through the academy grounds. The demonstrations had long since ended, and the students had gone back to their usual classes, while recruits wandered around watching and trying to get their bearings.

As she walked, Kali noticed a small camp of grey tents in a nearby clearing. She watched as two recruits ducked inside one tent, and from another came a third recruit. She guessed that this was where the new students stayed before they were assigned an element.

"How are the elements assigned?" Kali asked. "I mean, do you participate in a demonstration like what we just saw, or do you just ... know?"

"Colours aren't assigned until the second month of learning," said Cam. "Recruits take part in each class, and later, during a sort of examination, your element is displayed."

"As there ever been a student that has displayed all three elements?" Kali asked.

"Students take classes for all elements," said Cam. "But one is usually more dominant than the others, and that's typically your chosen element."

"So no one has ever had three dominants?"

"Not that I'm aware," said Cam, shaking his head. "I've always assumed it's the same in the Mystic Realm."

Kali shrugged. "I guess," she agreed. "I mean, my mum, for example, was assigned the element of Earth because she came from the Woodland elves, but she found Darkness easier to master."

"Hey, why do you think dad never told me about Kiya?" Cam asked, suddenly.

"Why didn't he choose you to be a Power Ranger?"

Cam sighed. "But, it can't be just because he wanted to protect me," he said. "He never spoke about his family growing up, and there was never any pictures of him, it's like, he doesn't exist in the future."

"Maybe he doesn't," said Kali. "Maybe something happened and it's hard for your dad to come to grips with. I mean, everyone deals with grief differently, right? Maybe it was just easier to forget that Kiya existed than acknowledge what happened to him?"

"Yeah, maybe," said Cam.

Kali placed her hand on Cam's shoulder. "I am sure he has his reasons for not saying anything," she said. "But, if it means that much to you, we can ask when we get back."

Cam chuckled and nodded. "Deal. What are you doing now?" he asked.

"I'll tell you what I am not doing," said Kali, stopping short and turning to face him. "I am not going to follow you to find your mother."

"I'm not -"

"Please," Kali scoffed. "You lose your mother when you're a small child, and now get the chance to meet her in person, granted you can't tell her who you are, but you still get to talk to her and just be near her in general."

Despite rolling his eyes, Cam couldn't help but smile. "Am I that transparent?" he asked.

"Nope. But, I knew from the minute I recognised her on that stage, I wouldn't be able to keep you away," said Kali. "Come find me when you're done."

"Don't get into trouble," Cam warned.

"Who, me?" Kali teased. She grinned at the look Cam shot her.

The two parted ways.

**~X~**

Catastros whinnied as Kali approached him. His dark eyes followed her every move and he snorted as she brushed the pads of her fingers against his snout.

"You never explained how you know him," said Kanoi, appearing from the stables.

"I did, actually," said Kali.

Kanoi cocked his head to the side. "I remember you saying 'one day you'll have run-ins," he answered. "I also remember you saying that you go by another name, although she doesn't exist. What did you mean?"

"What do you think I meant?"

"I think you meant that you aren't from this time," said Kanoi. "You sounded pretty surprised when I told you the year. What do thirty years mean? Are you from thirty years into the future, or the past, even?"

Kali turned her attention back to Catastros. "I can't tell you everything," she said. "Or even which end of the time spectrum we are from. But, trust me when I do say that we wouldn't be here if it wasn't necessary. There is evil in our time, an evil that has run us into the ground, and there is something in this time that can help us win."

"Do you have any idea the consequences of your actions could cause?" Kanoi asked. "If you're from the future, confronting your past could alter things. Are you willing to risk that?"

"We're here, aren't we?" Kali asked. "That, alone, should tell you how far we're willing to go."

"So you are from the future?"

Kali stared at Catastros, brushing his mane with her hands.

"Are you even a real mystic?"

"Yes. But I'm not taught under Merlock," Kali explained.

Kanoi stared at her. "Who are you?" he insisted.

Kali dropped her hand for a second time and turned to face him. "As you said, my actions in this time have consequences," she said, folding her arms. "I can't tell you who I am, or what I am here for, mainly because I don't know myself. But I do know that I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important."

"Kanoi!"

Kali and Kanoi looked up as another student hurried towards them. He stopped beside Kanoi, whispered quickly into his ear and then stepped back, staring at Kali with an expressionless face. Kanoi, however, looked concerned as he met Kali's gaze. "Your friend has been caught stealing from another student," he said.

"Cam?" Kali asked. "Are you sure you've got the right person?"

"He was identified by the victim," said Kanoi.

"What are you going to do to him?"

"He'll be placed under arrest by academy guards," Kanoi explained. "And face a trial in front of the whole school. If found guilty, he will be banished."

Kali's eyes widened. "But, you can't -" she protested.

"I'm sorry," Kanoi said. "But it's out of my hands. I just thought you ought to know." He turned and left her alone with Catastros.

**~X~**

Has Cam was led away by Academy guards, Kali felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle and a tug around her navel pulled her further into the trees. She followed the feeling deep into the undergrowth, before coming out onto a small clearing near a stream. There, she found Kia, Earth Ninja and Kanoi's twin brother, hunched over and muttering to himself. She crept closer, trying to see what he was doing, only to pause as a twig snapped beneath her boots and Kia flew to his feet.

"You!" Kia snarled, glaring at her. "What are you doing sneaking around here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," said Kali. "You stole the amulet and framed Cam, didn't you?"

"Your friend incriminated himself," said Kia. "I'm not the only one with my eyes on a prize, it would seem."

Kali clenched her hands into fists. "There's a difference between your desires for the amulet and Cam's," she said. "He can use it for good. I doubt your intentions will be anything but."

Kia laughed. "This amulet holds great power, which is neither good nor evil, and once it is unleashed, nothing will stop it. Nothing will stop me from harnassing it and becoming more powerful than possibly imagined."

"What's stopping me from taking it from you now?" Kali asked.

"I'd like to see you try."

Kali flexed her hands and then took a running leap into the air. "Hellhound fury!" she yelled, punching the ground as she landed and sending a shockwave across the clearing. Kia stumbled into a tree, and his eyes widened as he stared at Kali.

"You're more than just a Mystic," Kia murmured. "You're the legendary Hellhound of the Mystic Realm."

"And I have more than enough power to take you down," said Kali. "So, how about you make it easier on yourself? Hand over the amulet and turn yourself in."

Kia smirked and shook his head. "I have a better idea, Hellhound," he said, casting aside the amulet. "I'll leave the little trinket and take you instead." He raised his hands and curled his fingers inwards, towards his palms. The ground started to shake and vines exploded from the soil, surging through the air towards Kali.

Kali snapped open her mystic Morpher, and swiped it through the air, hovering it over her left shoulder. "Shield!" she yelled, as a transparent barrier appeared between her and the vines. The barrier rippled with black energy as the vines tried to get through. Finally, they relented and disappeared, but Kia was running full sprint at Kali and tackled her as she relinquished her shield in preparation to fight.

Kali grunted as she and Kia rolled across the ground. Each one fighting for the upper hand. When they stopped, Kali was on her back and Kia had her pinned, a smug smirk on his face. "Got you!" he said.

"Don't bet on it," said Kali, glaring up at him. She felt a warmth pool in her stomach and then surge up towards her chest. She closed her eyes and opened them when Kia screamed out in surprise. He hovered above her, surrounded by a black cloud of energy.

"Put me down!" Kia snarled.

"Sure," said Kali. "But first, you're going to have to do something for me."

**~X~**

"My judgement is -"

"Not guilty!" Kali called, pushing through the crowd and shoving Kia onto his knees at the foot of the stage. She looked from Cam to Kanoi, to Miko, and then finally to Sensei. "Cam didn't steal the amulet, Kia did. I found him in the woods trying to use dark ninja magic to open it."

Kia scoffed. "And, here I thought the Hellhound would know how to have a good time," he said, glancing up at her.

Kali sneered at him as whispers flickered through the crowd at the mention of the Hellhound.

"Any use of the dark powers will bring immediate expulsion," Sensei said, looking down upon Kia. "This is the first rule of the Wind Ninja Academy. Have you anything to say, Kia?"

"Not really," said Kia, slowly getting back to his feet. "I'm more a man of action." He looked down at his hands and then swiftly turned and blasted Sensei, Kanoi, and Miko aside. Kali felt the other Ninjas pushing at her from all sides, some were trying to get at Kia, to stop him while others, mainly new students, were trying to get out of his way.

Turning on the spot, Kia met Kali's eye and lunged at her through the crowd. Kali side-stepped and blasted Kia back with an energy ball.

"I will get what I want," Kia swore.

"Not from me," said Kali. "You are correct in assuming that I am the Hellhound, which means that I can sense any oncoming dark attack. You can't pull the wool over my eyes and take me by surprise!"

"Maybe not," said Kia. "But you, just like all humans, have a weakness."

Before Kali had a chance to respond, Kia blasted past her and towards Cam. The boy raised his still shackled hands, in an attempt to protect himself, but it was no use. The attack sent him staggering across the stage.

"Cam!" Kali called, rushing over to her friend.

"Everything was going great until you pair turned up," Kia hissed, storming the stage and rushing at the pair.

"Stop!" Kanoi shouted.

Kia turned to his brother. "This is between me and the new kids!" he said. He turned back to Cam and Kali and raised his hands into the air. A domed forcefield surrounded the trio, blocking out all other parties.

Taking the amulet from Kali, Cam slipped it around his neck and faced off against Kia. "Sorry to spoil your fun," he said.

"You want to make it up to me, hand over the Amulet!" said Kia, picking up a wooden training sword.

Kali rolled her eyes.

"I can't do that," said Cam, picking up the second amulet.

"Well, then..." said Kia, his grip tightening on his sword. "I'll have to take it from you."

"Try it," said Kali, creating an energy ball in her hands.

With a yell, both Cam and Kia surged toward one another. Their blades met with a crack.

"You're a stubborn one," said Kia.

"Runs in the family," Cam replied.

"Just give me the amulet. Or you'll regret ever crossing my path."

"Like I already don't!"

Kali rolled her eyes. "We don't have time for chit chat, Cam," she called. "Finish him already!"

With a laugh, Kia pushed Cam aside and turned his sword onto Kali. "You want another piece of me, Hellhound?" he asked. "Let's see how you fare in a fight without your powers."

"No!" said Cam, cutting across Kia's path. "Your fight is with me, not her."

"Fine. I'll deal with you first," said Kia, raising his sword above his head. He brought the sword down, crashing it against Cam's before sweeping his feet out from beneath him.

Kali held her breath as Cam hit the stage on his back, and Kia bearing down on him, forcing his sword against Cam's and pressing it into his chest.

"You put up quite a fight," Kia said. "But prepare to meet your end."

"No!" Kali yelled. She had barely taken a step forward when a bright light exploded from the amulet around Cam's neck. The light cleared and two gleaming tendrils of green energy had wrapped themselves around Kia's wrists, hoisted him into the air, and pressed him against the forcefield. There was a spark, and then Kia landed with a thump on the stage as the forcefield disappeared.

The rest of the academy guard surged forward, seizing Kia and forcing him to his feet.

"What the hell was that?" Kali asked, looking between Cam and the amulet.

"It looks like the Samurai amulet has found its rightful owner," said Miko, smiling at Cam.

"What? But this is yours, I can't take it," Cam protested.

"You must," Miko insisted. "That's why you came here, isn't it?"

Kali bit the inside of her cheek and shrugged as Cam looked her way. They had come searching for a weapon that they could use against Madtropolis, but they had no idea it would be something that already belonged to someone else.

"You think you can stop me from harnessing the darkest power in the universe?" Kia growled as he struggled against his restraints. "I will rule this world and all others within my reach."

"You've brought this fate upon yourself," said Sensei, striding forward. "You will be cast adrift in the universe where your dark ninja powers may cause no harm! You are hereby stripped of your ninja rank, and the man known as Kia will no longer exist."

"I have no use for your archaic way or worthless name," Kia sneered. "From now on, I will take the name of the ancient warrior of evil!"

Kali squeezed Cam's arm as he bristled beside her.

"From this point forth, I will be known as... Lothor!" Kia announced.

"No!" Cam yelled, starting forward. Kali's grip on his arm tightened and she hauled him back, shaking her head as he met her gaze.

Sensei extended his hand and a familiar clear ball encased Lothor.

"I will not forget the part you played in this, brother!" Lothor snarled, pointing at Kanoi. "Or you, Hellhound," he turned to Kia. "This will not be the last time you see me! I will have my revenge!"

"I'm counting on that," Kali muttered.

"Begone, Lothor!" Sensei said, throwing Lothor into space.

"No!" Cam called. "He has to be destroyed! What if he comes back?"

"We can only judge someone by their actions in the present," said Sensei. "Not by a future we cannot see."

From the corner of her eye, Kali saw Kanoi glance in her direction.

"Please, trust me on this. We have to destroy him now," said Cam.

Kali cocked her head to the side as a light glowed from inside Cam's pocket. She nudged him and nodded at it, realising all too quickly that it was the Scroll of Time as Cam took it out and unrolled it.

"We're out of time!" Cam cried, glancing at Kali.

"We finished what we set out to do," said Kali, shaking her head. "It's time to go home."

Cam hesitated and glanced at Miko.

"I know what you're thinking, genius," said Kali, reading his face. "But you can't. I'm sorry."

Cam sighed and nodded. "Thank you," he said to Miko. "You have no idea how much these last few hours have meant to me."

Miko smiled, and the look on her face told Kali that she did know what Cam meant. "Goodbye, Cam," she said, squeezing his hand. "Good luck."

As the Scroll of Time expanded, Kali turned to Kanoi and nodded. "Thank you," she said, following Cam through the portal.


	16. Samurai's Journey, Part III

"He made it!"

"Is that doubt I hear in your voice, Sensei?"

Sensei huffed a light chuckle and turned to see Kali appear behind him. "One can never be too careful when dealing with the Scroll of Time," he said.

"Fair enough. For a second, I did not think we were going to make it either," said Kali. "Have your memories changed yet?"

"Yes."

"Good. Because I have _so_ many questions."

Sensei nodded. "I am sure Cam does, too," he said.

"Oh, you have no idea," Kali muttered. She folded her legs beneath her as she sat in Cam's computer chair and watched as the newly formed Green ranger attacked Madtropolis on the screens.

As the battle ended, Cam revealed himself to his new teammates and then started to escort them back to the base, but they were intercepted by Lothor.

Kali watched as Sensei hopped around the keypad and suddenly the rangers disappeared and appeared back in Ninja Ops. "Now, that was cool," she muttered, jumping up and rushing to pull Tori up.

"Maybe give us a little warning next time you do that?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah, give us time to work on our landings," Tori agreed.

"Your appreciation is noted, Rangers," said Sensei, and Kali could hear a hint of sarcasm in his voice. She scoffed and turned back to the others.

"He could have just left you there," said Kali, recoiling as Tori punched her shoulder. "Ow!"

Tori laughed and then threw her arms around her friend. "I'm glad you're back," she said. "We didn't think we'd see you again. Even Hunter was getting angsty."

Kali quirked a curious eyebrow at the crimson ranger. "Did you real miss me, Bradley?" she teased.

"Get over yourself," Hunter said, shaking his head.

Kali chuckled and grinned at Tori. "While we're on the topic of 'missing things', be they people or not, how about we talk about getting your powers back?" she asked. She glanced at Sensei. "I can sense the magic inside the sphere, but I don't know how to access it. It's not like opening the gates to the Spirit World."

"You are right, Kali," Sensei agreed. "It is going to take more than your powers alone to open the sphere. As you well know, it contains the powers of five Rangers. Only a source more powerful can open it."

Dustin glanced around at the others. "Well, how about seven Rangers?" he asked.

"I think Dustin is right," Cam agreed.

"Thanks," Dustin grinned.

Tori and Kali shared an amused glance and then reached out, hovering their hands over the sphere as the others piled their own on top.

Kali gasped as a surge of power hit her palm and she tugged her hand backward as a blast of air whipped around the room. For the third time that day, the others hit the ground with multiple groans before picking themselves up.

"I think it worked," said Shane, forming a fist and punching the air.

The others save for Tori did the same, each one either punching or kicking the air to prove they had received their powers.

Kali folded her arms and rolled her eyes. "I am glad it worked, but you guys seriously suck at landing on your feet," she said.

"Just, one question though, Cam," said Tori, turning to the boy in green. "What - how did all this happen?"

"You're a Ranger now?" Hunter asked.

"And what about the promise that Sensei made to your mom?" Tori asked.

Kali furrowed her brow at the blue ranger. As far as she was aware, only herself knew about that promise. She could only guess that Sensei had mentioned something while she and Cam were in the past

"What did Sensei mean when he called you 'nephew'?" Dustin asked, silencing all other questions.

Cam hesitated and glanced at Kali.

"Um, well, I -" Kali hesitated. She looked around at her friends and then at Sensei. It was not exactly her story to tell. Sure, she had witnessed things in the past, but it was still Sensei's personal family business.

Sensei heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head. "Lothor is no relation of mine or Cam's," he said, earning himself everyone's attention.

"Well, how can you say that?" Cam asked.

"By law, once a Ninja is banished, they cease to exist," Sensei explained. "The one I knew as my brother is a mere memory."

"But don't you think I had a right to know?"

"Yeah, we all did!" Hunter added.

Kali rolled her eyes.

"Perhaps," Sensei agreed. "But what would it have changed? Would you have battled him any differently?"

Kali shrugged indifferently. "I can't speak for everyone," she said, squeezing Cam's shoulder. "But, considering I destroyed my biological father, I'd say it's a no for me."

"You did what?" Dustin asked, stunned.

"Complicated," Kali replied. She turned her attention back to Sensei. "I do have a question - was Cameron a family name, or did you and Miko choose that name after meeting us?"

Sensei wrinkled his nose and Kali burst out laughing.

Dustin blinked in confusion. "I don't get it," he said, shaking his head.

"You must have made hell of an impact on your mother, genius," said Kali, messing up Cam's hair. "She named you after you."

Cam ducked to avoid her hand, although he could stop the smile on his face at the revelation.

"Speaking of battling," said Tori, looking up as the monitors bleeped. All over the city, several monsters started to appear.

Shane gasped. "Whoa, dude, they're all over the place!" he said, his gaze flickering from each section of the screen to another.

"Split up," Sensei instructed. "Rangers, go. Cam, you will remain here and monitor for additional attacks."

Cam hesitated but relented and then nodded.

"See you out there," said Shane, patting Cam's shoulder.

Cam nodded and then turned Tori, as she nudged him.

"Green always did look good on you," said Tori.

Cam grinned and turned back to his father as Tori took off after the others.

**~X~**

Kali scanned her surroundings as she appeared in an enclosed area. The first thing she noticed were the apartment blocks on either side of her and paused as her thoughts switched to the residents living there. Hopefully, they would hear the commotion and not come outside; she understood the excitement to see a Ranger and even a monster, but she wasn't sure if she could handle civilians in her way while she tried to keep to deal with Lothor's latest attack.

"How lucky for us..." said a voice.

"The black ranger..." said another.

Kali spun around and mentally groaned as she found a Siamese-like monster bearing down on her. It had two heads - one of which was a bulldog and the other an Egyptian cat. "Really?" she murmured. "We're doing to do this now?"

"My names Bulldog," the dog monster growled.

"How original," Kali said, pulling her sword over her shoulder. "What about you, kitty kat?"

"Purrfection," the cat purred.

Kali rolled her eyes. "Your parents didn't think much on your names, did they?" she asked. "But then, I guess it doesn't matter. What's in a name when you're evil?"

The bulldog sneered and barked out an attack - a spiral wave of energy rammed into Kali, knocking her backwards into a building.

"First shot is free," Kali said, shaking her head and gripping the handle of her sword. "After that, you better make it count."

The cat laughed and extended her paws, showing Kali four long claws on the tip of each finger. She and the Bulldog raced forward and Kali danced out of the cat's reach, she twirled around and dragged the tip of her sword down the creature's back, causing them to hiss and whirl around, their eyes narrowing in anger.

Kali continued to dance out of their reach as they attacked again, and again, and again. They seemed to take it in turns, and with each turn they missed their mark.

"You guys are getting predictable," said Kali, blocking a spiralled attack from the Bulldog. "Time to end this - Ninja Sword, Darkness Wave!" she took a running leap and wielding the sword above her head, before slashing it through air in front of her.

The darkness wave hit the monster and it exploded.

Kali took a deep breath and sheathed her sword. "How you guys doing?" she asked into her morpher.

" _On target_!" the others replied.

Sensing the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, Kali turned, and her eyes widened as a set of claws raked their way up her chest. She cried out as she was thrown off her feet and hit the ground with a heavy thud. "No way!" she coughed, looking up at the monster she had just destroyed.

" _Did anyone else see that?"_ Dustin's cry of alarm chirped over the morpher. " _I blew up the dude, and then he... un-blew up!_ "

Kali shook her head and struggled to her feet, just as her morpher chirped for a second time and Sensei's voice called them back to base. " _ **Uthe Sasoray**_ ," she muttered, and disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

**~X~**

Kali raised an eyebrow as she looked at Cam. He had just returned from his battle with his first - second, she corrected - monster, and already it seemed had got himself into a spot of trouble.

"Dude," Hunter gasped, noticing the problem, too. "What happened?"

"I got a little too close to that overgrown sucker," Cam said, twitching.

Kali grimaced as she watched Cam. His chest was covered in a sheen of sweat, and it seemed that something was growing uncomfortably out of his back.

The computers beeped, and the team turned to see Starvark towering over the city.

"We'll get the Zords," said Shane.

"Hunter, Blake, Kali, can you take care of the others?" Sensei asked.

Kali tore her gaze away from Cam and looked at Sensei. "Yeah," she said, nodding along with the Thunders.

"What about me?" Cam asked, reaching behind him to scratch his shoulders.

"Uh, Cam, what is that?" Tori asked.

Cam looked down to see large hairs growing out of his fingers. "I have no idea," he said.

Kali shook her head. "You should call Eithne or Rune," she told Sensei. "Maybe there is something at Root core that can help."

"Your suggestion is noted, Kali," said Sensei. "Now, go."

The Rangers took one last look at Cam and then returned to the city.

**~X~**

Siamese looked up as Kali run into view with Hunter and Blake in tow. The trio halted as the monster growled in their direction, but only seemed to have eyes for one.

"So, you have returned, Black Ranger?" the cat snarled.

"Yeah, and this time I brought friends," said Kali, indicating to the brothers. "Let's see you us all on."

Bulldog barked out a laugh and blasted the trio with his spiral attack.

"Thunder shields!" Hunter and Blake yelled, producing their hexagon-shaped staffs. The surface flickered both crimson and navy as the spiral hit them, and then bounced back at the monster.

Kali laughed as the cat's screech echoed long after it had been destroyed. "Hey, maybe I was wrong about you pair. Maybe you are lucky to have around," she said.

"Was that a compliment?" Hunter asked, stunned.

"I take it back," said Kali, raising her wrist. "Sensei, anymore?"

" _There's three more at the library_ ," Sensei replied.

As Hunter and Blake ninja-streaked ahead, Kali used her magical abilities to transport. She still refused to use Ninja Streak, describing it as unpleasant.

"Took you long enough," said Hunter, as Kali appeared between him and the monster he was currently fighting. She blocked a punch and ducked behind the monster, twisting his arm behind him and allowing Hunter to deliver the final blast with his blaster.

Kali released the monster as he exploded and looked up at Hunter. "Maybe next time I won't turn up," she said. "You ever think about that? Besides, it looked like you needed more help than Blake did."

Hunter scowled.

Blake rolled his eyes at the pair. "If you weren't already spoken for, Kali, I'd tell you pair to kiss and make up already," he said.

"That's gross!" Kali yelped.

"Thanks for the image, bro," Hunter whined.

Blake chuckled and raised his morpher. "All clear on this front, Sensei," he said.

" _That's good news, Blake,_ " Sensei replied. " _You, Hunter, and Kali may return to base. Cam and the others are finishing up._ "

Ending the connection, Blake turned to Hunter and Kali to relay the news and found them bickering about the fact that they were not compatible to be even considered in a relationship.

Shaking his head, Blake turned and walked away, leaving the pair squabbling behind.

**~X~**

Later that day, Kali folded her legs beneath her as she sat in Cam's vacant computer chair, a black and green suit over her knees. The others laughed and stood around her, hiding her from view of the door and anyone that was to enter.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Sensei?" Kali asked, looking at the rodent.

"My son has chosen his own destiny," said Sensei, smiling. "I couldn't be prouder."

Kali smiled and looked around as Cam's footsteps echoed from the hall leading to the exit, and seconds later his voice called out to them as he entered Ops. He was talking excitedly about his Samurai staff and the database but stopped short when he saw them all gathered around his computer.

"What happened?" Cam asked, his whole demeanour shifting from excitement to concern. His gaze flickered from each face to the next and then paused. "Where's Kali?"

Kali chuckled and stood up as the others parted, allowing her to pass between them and present the gear in her arms to Cam.

"What's this?" Cam asked.

"If you're going to be a part of the team then you got to have the gear," said Shane.

Cam turned the suit over in his hands and examined it closely. It was a black Gi with green accents on both the jacket and trousers, while stitched into the breast plate of his jacket was a green Samurai symbol. "Where did you get this?" he asked.

"Our journey to the past taught me more than just where to find great power," said Kali. "Welcome to the team, genius!"


	17. I Love Lothor

"Cyber double?"

Cam nodded and added the final touches to his latest project. "Meet Cyber Cam," he announced, spinning around in his chair and showing Kali a cybernetic double of himself. The double stood in the center of a podium, hidden behind a glitchy forcefield. "What do you think?"

"Naked," said Kali, covering her eyes. "You didn't think to give him clothes?"

"I'm not really up-to-date on the latest fashion trends," Cam admitted. "That's why I asked you to hang back this morning."

Kali quirked an eyebrow. "What makes you think I know about fashion?"

"Don't most women?"

"Do I look like most women to you?"

Cam laughed and returned his attention to the computer. "Fair enough," he said. "But I still need help picking out clothes."

"Okay. Um, well, beanies are cool," said Kali. "But not a bobble beanie."

Cam nodded.

Kali turned to face the double and noticed that most of his private areas were now covered by the forcefield. A beanie appeared on his head. "You want him to be a little cool, too," she said. "But not to cool, if you get what I mean? So, let's say, camouflaged baggy pants, a graphic T, a green and black jacket, and basic black trainers."

Folding her arms, Kali watched as the items appeared on the double.

Cam glanced over his shoulder and smiled. "All we need now is a voice," he said, highlighting some options on his screen. "What should he sound like?"

"Mhm," Kali murmured, tapping her chin with her finger. "Like a teen, obviously, but not an airhead. Surfer dudes aren't cool, either, well, not all of them," she added, her mind jumping to Xander. "We don't want someone who says shit like "totally" and "tubular" that's just, urgh."

Cam laughed. "Alright. How about this?" he selected a few options and sent the data stream to his double.

The forcefield flickered, disappeared, and the double jumped down from the podium. "Groovy," he exclaimed, patting his arms, waist and legs with his hands. He eyed his clothes and grinned up at Kali and Cam. "Cool threads, man."

Kali narrowed her eyes at the real Cam.

"Sorry. Too good of an opportunity to pass over," Cam laughed.

"I hate you."

Still laughing, Cam changed the algorithm in his double and then caused him to disappear.

Shaking her head, Kali turned to Cam. "Great. Now what?" she asked.

"Well, we're going to be late for Tori's cooking class if we stay here any longer," said Cam, checking his watch.

Kali groaned. "I hate cooking," she whined.

"Then why did you say you'd go?"

"I didn't exactly have a choice," said Kali, following him out of Ops.

**~X~**

"Wait, you two are taking cooking classes?" Shane laughed as Cam and Kali entered Storm Charges.

"I didn't exactly have a choice," said Kali, shooting Tori a look. "I just didn't have a chance to come up with a good enough excuse before being roped in."

Tori grinned.

"As for me," said Cam. "Tori wanted someone to take the class with her, and dad said I need to get out more. So, here I am."

"Yeah, but cooking class?" Shane asked.

Cam glanced towards the door as a group of young women wandered inside. "It has its advantages," he said, grinning at Shane.

Shane scratched the back of his head and watched as the women each took a seat on the plastic chairs provided.

"Yes, because drooling and ogling them is attractive," said Kali, taking her phone from her pocket and taking a seat on the fringe of the group. She pulled her hood up over her head and slumped in the chair, opening her phone to a messaging app.

As she fired off a message to Vida, Kali spied Blake over the top of her phone. She watched him lean against the fruit counter, his eyes trained of Tori as she whispered with Cam a few seats away. She bit her lip and looked back at her phone as it buzzed in her hands, and then smiled as Blake took the empty seat between her and Tori.

 _So obvious,_ Kali thought as Kelly called for everyone's attention.

"Thanks for coming, everyone," said Kelly. "Let's get started. First, you want to add the fruit to your blender. The fruit depends on the type of base you want for your smoothie, we're going to be doing strawberry today, as it seems to be a fan favourite. So, cut up some fresh strawberries and blend them until smooth."

She hit the power button and the blender whirled to life, slicing up the strawberries until they formed a syrup in the bottle of the tumbler.

"After that, you want to add the yoghurt," Kelly continued. "Any yoghurt can be used. But, as this is a simple smoothie, we'll use original. She dumped the whole container into the tumble, replaced the lid and hit the power button for a second time.

_V: How's the cooking class?_

_K: Boring. Wish I was at the Rock Porium._

_V: Not too late to bail._

_K: Tori asked me to be here. I can't bail on her now._

_V: You know, for someone who doesn't seem to care, you're a real pushover._

_K: Who said I didn't care?_

_V: Just an observation._

Kali rolled her eyes.

_K: If I didn't care then I wouldn't have saved you from Necrolai, or Udonna from Hekatoid._

_V: I don't mean it like that._

_K: Then how?_

_V: It just, you didn't seem to care much for team bonding outside of Daggeron's obstacle courses. I mean, you complained about it being your day off when we painted the mural for Toby._

_K: You dragged me out of bed at 10am on a SUNDAY!_

_V: We had fun._

_K: You still dragged me out of bed._

_V: Nick dragged you out of bed._

_K: On your request._

"Kali..."

Kali gave a start and looked up, surprised to find her friends staring at her in confusion. "Did you say something?" she asked, blinking and pushing herself up in the chair.

"You okay?" Tori asked.

"Yeah. Just friendly banter with V," said Kali. "What did I miss? Is the class over?"

"The first part is, yeah," said Cam. "We're going to go try the smoothies. You coming?"

Kali hesitated and followed her friends towards the front. They pushed their way up to the table and each picked up a glass. Kali eyed the thick liquid, and slowly swirled it around the glass, watching as it sluggishly tried to keep up. "Would you be offended if I didn't try this?" she asked Kelly.

"No. But is something wrong?" Kelly asked.

"No, not all," said Kali, shaking her head. "I'm just fussy with what I put in my mouth. I mainly drink water, soda, and occasionally alcohol. I've never been a big milk or milkshake drinker," she explained. "Also, strawberries aren't my number one favourite fruit."

Kelly cocked her head to the side. She'd never met someone who didn't like strawberries before.

"I do, however, love cherries," said Kali, scooping up a handful of fruit pieces from a discard bowl. She bit into one, savouring the sweet taste as it burst against her tongue. She pulled the steam way and spit the pip into a nearby trashcan.

Kelly laughed as Kali wandered back to her seat, happily enjoying the bunch of cherries.

"FOOD FIGHT!" Hunter suddenly yelled.

"Wha-?" Kali spun around, ducking just in time as Dustin threw a glass of smoothie in her direction. _Son of a -_ she broke off, spying Tori fleeing the store on the opposite side. Ducking behind the front counter, Kali snapped open her mystic morpher, inputted the three-digit code and disappeared in a flash of black magic.

**~X~**

Tori gasped as someone grabbed her arm and pulled her out of sight. She sighed in relief when she realised it was Kali. "You scared the living daylights out of me," she said, placing a hand over her chest. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry. I saw you leave Storm Charges," said Kali. "I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"Have you seen Blake and Cam?"

Kali shook her head.

"They're acting weird."

"More than usual?"

Tori laughed lightly. "True. But, yeah, more than usual," she said. "They're acting like lovesick fools."

"Blake is a lovesick fool," Kali muttered.

Tori furrowed her brow. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing," said Kali, shaking her head. "What happened, exactly?"

Tori shrugged. "I don't know. They were tasting Kelly's smoothie. I said something about it not tasting very sweet, and Cam said something about nothing being as sweet as me," she said.

Kali snorted. "Sorry," she apologised. "Not that you're not cute, but that doesn't sound like Cam."

"Tell me about it," Tori agreed. "Anyway, Blake got jealous and told him to back off, punching his shoulder with a handful of flour. Then Cam threw a tube of flour at him and then Hunter called for a food fight. I got out of there as soon as I could. Sorry for leaving you behind."

Kali shook her head. "Hey, if I hadn't have seen you leave, I'd probably be back there pummeling Dustin with fruit," she admitted.

Tori cocked her head to the side.

"He threw a smoothie at me," Kali explained.

Tori giggled.

"Anyway, your story sounds concerning," said Kali. "It sounds like there was something more than fruit in their smoothies."

"Oh, no, they drank from the same glass," said Tori. "Blake said his tasted weird so Cam offered to try it. Then the weirdness started."

Kali furrowed her brow. "Mhm. I wonder if Kelly's cleaned up yet. If we can get the glass, we can see if there was anything other than strawberries in the smoothie. What do you think?"

"Do you mind doing it alone?" Tori asked. "I can't face Cam and Blake right now."

"Sure. Go, get out of here," said Kali. "I'll try and head the lovesick baboons off."

"Thanks, Kali," said Tori.

Kali smiled and watched as Tori disappeared. She then turned and jogged off down the street, disappearing at the corner.

**~X~**

Stuffing her phone back into her pocket, Kali breached the threshold of Storm Charges for the second time that day. She spotted three of her friends coming out of the back room, while Kelly disposed of dirty rags and paper towels in the dustbin. She rounded the plastic chairs and approached the red head, smiling apologetically.

"Sorry," Kali said. "I didn't mean to bail on you during the cleanup. Tori looked upset, I needed to make sure she was okay."

"It's okay," said Kelly, shaking her head. "To be honest, I didn't even realise you had left."

Kali forced a smile. She had used magic to leave, so obviously Kelly wouldn't have noticed. "Yeah. Slipped out the back," she said, easily. "Um, I do, however, have a question – you wouldn't happen to have the glass that Blake and Cam drunk out, do you? Whatever upset Tori started with that smoothie."

"Oh, Kali, I'm sorry," said Kelly, shaking her head. "We cleaned all the glasses after the food fight." She shot Shane, Dustin, and Hunter a dark look as they approached. " _Someone_ thought it would be amusing to empty any and all glasses over people's heads."

Dustin shrunk back under the glare.

Kali glanced at him. "Oh, don't think I've forgotten that you threw the contents of one of those glasses at me," she added.

Dustin paled his eyes wide.

"Anyway, it's no worries," said Kali turning back to Kelly. "Thanks, though."

Kelly smiled. "Are you sticking around for part two?" she asked. "I know Tori roped you into being here, and she's bailed. But you may enjoy this part, plus, I have extra cherries." She produced a bag of fruit from behind the counter.

"Oh, twist my arm why don't you," said Kali, taking the bag. She pulled them out of Hunter's grasp as he reached for one.

"Come on, share," said Hunter.

Kali shook her head, stuck a cherry between her teeth and pulled the stem out. She then bit into the fruit and spat the pip into the napkin Kelly had handed her.

Hunter rolled his eyes and made his way to an empty chair.

Kelly laughed and led Kali over to the front row. The pair settled in, and Kelly reached for the TV remote. "We're now going to watch the Real Sport's executive chef on the cooking channel," she explained, pressing the power button.

The TV flickered to life and reflected the image of Lothor back at them.

Kali choked on a cherry pip and launched herself forward, coughing it back up. "What the hell?" she wheezed, glancing up at the TV. "Try another channel."

"It's on all the channels," said Kelly.

Dustin glanced around at his friends. "I check the TV listings every week," he said. "I'm pretty sure this was not in there."

"We better check this out," said Shane. He stood and led the others out of the store.

**~X~**

"Sensei, have you noticed anything weird with the TV channels?" Shane said into his morpher. He, Dustin, Hunter, and Kali were hiding down an alley, one street over from Storm Charges.

" _Yes. It would seem Lothor is trying to use subliminal signals in his broadcasting to make people fall in love with him,_ " Sensei explained.

Kali gagged.

"Those must be some pretty strong signals." said Dustin.

"We have to shut down that broadcast," said Hunter.

"How?" Kali asked. "We don't know what station it's coming from."

" _You must hurry, Rangers, I'll try and contact the others,_ " said Sensei.

As the connection ended, Kali fished her phone out of her pocket as it buzzed. She frowned at the name on the screen and slid her finger across to accept it. "Nick, is everything okay?"

" _No. Have you seen the TV?_ "

Kali glanced at the others and pulled the phone away from her ear, setting it to loudspeaker. "Let me guess, Lothor?" she asked.

" _Yeah, and that's not the weirdest part,_ " said Nick. " _There are people on the street screaming his name, and waving banners saying they love him._ "

"Definitely some serious signals," said Dustin.

" _You're telling me it's not happening there?_ " Nick asked.

Kali opened her mouth to reply but cut off as Hunter grabbed her wrist and pulled her back against the alley wall. On the street adjacent to them, a group of screaming women, and a few men, stormed past, waving their own banners and posters.

"Who wants to bet they're looking for Lothor?" said Dustin.

"We should follow them," said Shane.

The others nodded.

"Nick, I got to go!" said Kali. "Don't worry about a thing. We've got it under control. I'll call you later." She hung up without hearing his reply and followed the others down the street.

**~X~**

There was something about the number three that people seemed to find interesting. In racing, people always yelled 'GO' after counting to three, when searching for something they always stopped after finding the third item, and even now, Lothor had chosen Studio Three to broadcast his new TV show from.

Kali took the steps two at a time and rounded the corner just as the group of gaggling passersby congregated outside of the doors, each one shouting and screaming for their new on-screen lover and waving banners and homemade signs in declaration.

"This is just wrong," Dustin said.

"We got to get them out of there," said Hunter.

Kali shook her head. "Have you ever tried to come between a fangirl and their crush before?" she asked. "It's not a pretty -"

"Yo, everybody," Shane called, cutting Kali off and effectively catching the attention of the whole group. "Lothor's a creep. He's put you under a spell."

The group of civilians turned and narrowed their eyes. Kelly, who was in the centre of the fray shook her head. "No way, we love Lothor!" she yelled, and added "get them" to the others around her.

Kali shoved Shane towards the mob as she, Dustin and Hunter bypassed him, running back down the steps and around the corner. They ducked under the stairs and pressed themselves against the walls as the mob ran past.

"Where's Shane?" Dustin asked, breathing hard.

"She pushed him into the path," said Hunter, nodding at Kali.

Kali shrugged. "Shouldn't have such an idiot and tried to talk them out of a spell gone wrong then, should he?" she asked. She peered around the corner and, satisfied that there was no one waiting for them, stepped out into the open. She headed back towards the bottom of the steps and found Shane sitting at the bottom, holding his head.

Shane looked up, a flicker of fear in his eyes which hardened into a glare as he saw it was Kali. "That wasn't cool," he grumbled.

"Should've listened to me," said Kali, pulling him to his feet. She checked his head, running her finger over the bump that had formed.

Shane hissed.

Kali rolled her eyes. "Did you lose consciousness?" she asked.

Shane shook his head.

"Then you'll be fine," said Kali, releasing him and turning to Dustin and Hunter. "The spell that's on both Cam and Blake must be similar to the one that's affecting the cities, and if this is happening in Briarwood, too, we have to assume it's happening all over the US."

The others nodded.

"The only way to stop it is by destroying the monster that caused it," said Kali. "We have to find the others. Sensei tell you have good news," she added, lifting her morpher to lips.

" _The others are at the beach,_ " Sensei replied. " _You must go there and assist Tori._ "

Kali looked up at the boys. "We'll get there faster if I teleport," she said, holding out her hands. Dustin grabbed one, having been looking forward to this opportunity since meeting Kali.

"Uh, I think I'll -" Shane cut off as Kali rolled her eyes, sighed and grasped his shoulder, teleporting out before he could wrestle his way out of her grasp.

**~X~**

Tori moaned and with little strength left in her legs, felt herself falling back towards the floor.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Kali said, grasping Tori around the shoulders and supporting her back against her chest. "I got you. Are you okay? What happened?"

Tori shook her head as Kali carefully set her down on the sand. "I don't know," she admitted. "But I got worked."

"Tori!" Blake called, running over with Cam. They both knelt beside the blue ranger as Tori rested her head on Kali's shoulder, her breathing labored and heavy.

Running her fingers over Tori's morpher, Kali founded the switch that would power down her friend. As the blue suit and helmet disappeared, Tori moaned at the sudden loss of power and her head rolled forward, her blonde hair obstructing her vision.

"She needs rest," said Kali, looking up at the others. Her eyes widened as a tingle ran down her spine and a massive monster appeared, towering over them.

Shane looked up and then back at Kali. She shook her head as she met his gaze and he sighed. Kali didn't need to tell him that Tori did not have the energy to fight in a Megazord, especially since she could barely stand on her own without support.

"Take Tori back to Ops," said Cam, placing a hand on Kali's shoulder. "We got this."

Blake nodded as Cam looked back at him. "Yeah!" he agreed, wholeheartedly.

As the Thunders and Cam run off, summoning their Zords as they reached the edge of the beach. Kali looked up at Dustin and Shane. "You staying here?" she asked.

"Yeah, we'll stay and assist if we need to," said Shane.

"Okay," said Kali. She looked back at Tori, who had already passed out on her shoulder, and tightened her grip around her body. She held her as close and as firmly as possible, before opening her mystic morpher, pressing three digits and disappearing with a flicker of black.

**~X~**

That evening, after Tori had rested and awoken in Kali's bed at Ninja Ops, she wandered out into the main room to find Cam and Blake at the small table. She hesitated, and then took a deep breath. She had to face them sooner or later, and it was better to get any awkwardness out of the way now.

"I take it you two are feeling better?" Kali asked, stepping into Ops ahead of Tori. She had come from outside and was in the process of removing her jacket when she spotted the younger woman. "Make that three," she added.

Blake and Cam looked around, wildly. A blush covering both their faces as they spotted Tori and looked away.

"How you feeling?" Kali asked Tori.

"Like I owe you a thank you," said Tori, settling down at the table. She smiled as Kali got up, disappeared into the kitchen, and set a glass of water on the table.

Kali waved her off. "I didn't do anything," she said.

"You brought me back here," said Tori. "That can't have been easy."

Kali shrugged. "You mean caring for you or carrying you?" she asked.

"Both. My mum says I'm not the easiest person to care for," she said.

"I have two younger sisters," said Kali. "What's one more?"

Tori smiled.

Kali glanced at the boys, each of whom, it seemed, couldn't look Tori in the eye. "As for you, two," she said, catching their attention. "How do you feel?"

"If this is a love hangover, I hope to never fall in love again," Cam whined.

Kali snickered.

"I hear ya," Blake agreed.

From the corner of her eye, Kali saw Tori's face fall and reached over to squeeze her arm gently.

Realising what he had said, and that he had said it out loud in front of the woman he was crushing on, Blake stammered and quickly backtracked, his eyes wide as he looked from Kali to Cam, and finally to Tori. "I mean -" he started, but cut off as Shane and Hunter wandered in, carrying a tray of fried chicken between them.

"What's this?" Tori asked, her attention spiking and drawing away from Blake. He sighed in relief but looked startled as he found Kali smirking at him. He blushed and looked away.

"This is our way of saying sorry that your cooking class got ruined," said Shane.

"It's homemade and from the heart," said Hunter, setting the silver tray down on the table.

Kali eyed it skeptically. She pinched a wing between her fingers and tore it a part, sniffing the innards and taking a careful bite. "This is actually tasting good," she said, chewing and swallowing. She eyed Shane and Hunter closely. "For two blokes that were criticizing Cam and I for joining Tori in a cooking class, you're telling us that you _can_ cook?"

"Offence taken," said Shane. "Just because -"

"Hey, who ordered take out?" Dustin mumbled as he strode into Ninja Ops, a bucket of chicken under his arm, and stuffing more into his mouth. "I'm starved."

"Since when does homemade food come in a bucket?" Tori asked.

Kali scoffed and threw the chicken pieces in her hand at both Hunter and Shane.

Dustin's eyes widened as he realised his own mistake. "Oh, busted!" he laughed.


	18. Good Will, Hunter

**This chapter welcomes a character that I will be writing about in the near future.**

**This is just a glimpse into what** **'s to come post-Kali.**

* * *

"Quitting' time," Blake announced as he changed the sign in the door to 'closed'. "So, are we riding?"

"I hope you're referring to you three," said Kali, pointing among the boys. "I mean, sure, I have a motorcycle and a Motocross bike is only a step up from that, but 1. I'm not racing you three, and 2. I'm not riding with you three, either. Tor?" she turned to her friend.

"Same. But don't you have that mentorship programme 'big sister' thing today?" Tori asked, nudging Kali.

"Oh, yeah," Kali laughed. She checked her watch. "Rune and her mother should be here any minute."

Hunter paused and turned to Kali. "Rune?" he asked. "Rune Winters, by chance?"

Kali's brow furrowed. "How'd you guess?" she asked.

"I'm doing the 'big brother' mentorship and my new 'little brother' is Charlie Winters," Hunter explained. "When I agreed to take him on, the agency said that he had an older sister who was also in the programme."

"Oh, please don't tell me we're spending the day together," Kali whined. This hadn't been how she had planned her mentorship going.

Tori, Dustin, and Blake exchanged looks and snickered. Out of all the people to get thrown together on the same mentorship it had to be this pair, the same pair that could barely stand to be in the same room as one another for longer than an hour.

Checking out her phone, Kali scrolled her emails and brought up the image of the little girl that was to be her 'sister' and showed it to Hunter. "That's Rune," she said. "The little boy is her baby brother."

"That little boy is Charlie," said Hunter. "My kid." He showed her the same image on his phone.

Kali whined and stowed her phone away, just as a loud slam echoed from the front of the store. Everyone turned to see Shane peeling himself off the glass, a massive smile on his face.

"Hey! Ha! Check it out!" Shane said, pulling open the door and swooping inside. He was carrying a sports magazine. "Big Air's having a contest for the best sports action video."

"Let's see," said Tori, taking the magazine. "The best one-minute video will be played on national television during the next Action Games."

Dustin grinned, taking the magazine and riffling through it. "Oh, sweet. I'm so going to win," he said.

"Uh, don't you mean, you're so going to come in second?" Shane asked.

"No, dude, I mean, I'm going to win," Dustin replied. The silence the followed caused Dustin to look up from the magazine. He took in each of his friends and then laughed. "Oh, wait, I get it," he said, snapping his fingers. "You're calling me out."

Shane grinned and nodded.

"I don't know how any of you are going to win anything without a video camera," Tori stated.

Blake chewed the inside of his cheek and glanced at Shane.

Shane shrugged. "Well, what about Dustin's?" he asked.

Kali quirked an eyebrow at Dustin as he sighed and licked his lower lip, somewhat awkwardly.

"Well, if I remember correctly, you taped it to your helmet," said Tori, grinning at her friend. "Right before you ran into that big oak tree."

Kali winced.

"Yeah," said Dustin, folding the magazine and tapping it against his chin.

Kali rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Here's an idea?" she asked. "What about Cam?"

"Oooh!" said Shane, grinning. He met Dustin's gaze and smirked, before stumbling backwards and Dustin shoved past, both of them fighting their way out of Ops.

Tori sighed in frustration.

"Questioning your friendship?" Kali asked, wrapping an arm around Tori's shoulders.

"Every damn day," Tori sighed.

The door opened for a second time and a tall, slender woman, with dark hair and two kids under the age of eighteen, wandered inside. The woman was trying to tug a game console from her daughter's hands, but the little girl was nowhere near giving it up as her mother was getting it away.

"I guess this is where Blake and I take our leave," said Tori, squeezing Kali. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Kali muttered. She had nothing against spending the day with two twelve-year olds, her annoyance was directed at spending the day with a two twelve-year-olds _and_ Hunter.

Tori grinned and headed for the door, Blake following.

Meeting Hunter's gaze, Kali caught his arm as he turned to the young woman who had just entered. She didn't look much older than late 30s, and definitely not someone who was old enough to have two children in their pre-teens.

"Wait a sec," said Kali. "Can we agree to put our differences aside for this one afternoon? You never know, we may actually learn something from these two."

"Sure," said Hunter. "For the record, I don't actually hate you."

"Could've fooled me," Kali muttered. She dropped his arm and turned to the woman, smiling. "Hi, you must be Rhea?"

"Kali and Hunter?" Rhea asked.

The pair nodded.

"You have no idea how much this means to me," said Rhea. "To all of us."

Kali smiled as she glanced at the two children. Rune was still engrossed in her video game, while Charlie was avoiding eye contact with everyone. He kept trying to sneak glances at his sister's progress, but she always hid the console when she caught him.

"Is there any particular time that you're expecting them back?" Kali asked, looking up at Rhea.

"Preferably dinner?" Rhea asked. "We usually sit to eat about six. Then it's homework, video games for an hour, bath and bed by 11."

Kali nodded. Rune and Charlie had a stricter routine than she had growing up, and she grew up with diplomatic parents that liked to negotiate everything, including what they would be having for dinner that evening, and what time. It was annoying at times, going through all the pros and cons of what was considered healthy eating and what wasn't.

"The agency said you already had my details," said Rhea.

Hunter nodded.

"Great. So, I guess I'll see you later." Rhea grinned, kissed both her children, and then left the store.

Hunter glanced at Kali as an awkward silence descended.

"So, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you like video games, Rune," said Kali, kneeling down in front of Rune. The little girl didn't look up, but she did nod. "How about you, Charlie?"

The little boy nodded. "Mum wouldn't let me bring my console," he said. "Rune gets special treatment because she's the oldest and in training."

Kali glanced at Rune, just in time to see her roll her eyes. "Training?" she asked. "What kind?"

Charlie opened his mouth but cut off as Rune shot him a look.

"It's nothing," said Rune, shaking her head. "I'm not allowed to talk about it."

"Huh," said Kali, glancing back at Hunter. He shrugged. "Alright. Not allowed to talk about training. But can you talk about video games? How competitive are you both? Do you play against each other?"

Rune looked up from her game, meeting Kali's eyes. "You know video games?" she asked.

Kali shrugged. "I know a thing or two, yeah," she said. "My best friend's little brother loves gaming, and I have this friend from Briarwood that is really good at it, too. What was that one game he constantly played?" she looked thoughtful, tapping her chin with her finger. "Um… Super… something."

"Super Ninja Space Wars?" Rune asked.

Kali snapped her fingers. "That's the one!" she grinned. "Do you know it?"

"Yeah! I love SNSW."

Kali smiled. "Well, I happen to know that they just introduced SNSW at the local arcade," she said, "and I'll admit that I'm bit a noob when it comes to games. You feel like showing me how to play?"

Rune nodded, enthusiastically.

"How about you, Charlie?"

Charlie grinned and nodded.

Kali straightened up. "Great. Then let's go," she said.

As both Rune and Charlie headed for the door, Hunter held Kali back. "How did you do that?" he asked.

"I grew up with two little sisters, remember?" Kali asked. "Plus, I just did what my big brother did with me. I got on their level and appealed to what interests them."

Hunter looked impressed. "Not bad, Briar," he said.

Kali rolled her eyes and led him out of the store. She and the kids waited for him to lock up, and then the four walked to the arcade.

**~X~**

After a few hours of playing games at the Arcade, Hunter and Kali took Rune and Charlie to a local ice cream parlour and bought them each a sundae. The conversation had turned from heavy gaming to a light talk about everyday things that the kids enjoyed.

"Other than video games," said Hunter. "Any other games you kids like? Hockey? Tennis? Basketball?"

Kali rolled his eyes. "As you can probably tell Hunter is out of his depths," she teased.

Charlie and Rune laughed.

"In my defense, my younger brother is into the same sports as me," said Hunter.

"What kind of sports you into?" Rune asked.

"Motocross."

Rune paused; her brow furrowed. "Charlie's dad used to do that," she said, glancing at her brother. "He tried to get me into it, but my mum wouldn't let me because she was afraid that I'd get hurt."

"For training?" Kali asked.

Rune nodded and went back to her sundae.

"Still can't talk about it?"

Rune shook her head.

"Must be a top-secret reason for why you can't talk about it," said Kali, leaning back in her seat. She balanced carefully on the two back legs and stared at Rune. "You know who else had a top secret…" she paused, thinking, "secret?" she asked.

Rune shrugged.

"The Power Rangers."

Hunter choked, spluttering water everywhere.

"Pig," Kali muttered, tossing him a couple of napkins.

Charlie laughed and even Rune cracked a smile.

"But, yeah, the Power Rangers have this secret that they can't reveal who they are, don't they?" Kali asked. She looked between the two siblings. "Are you guys Ranger fans?"

Charlie nodded, eagerly. "My favourite's the Red Ranger," he gushed. "You know, because he's the leader."

Hunter scrunched up the napkins he had used to wipe away the water and tossed them into a nearby trashcan. "Crimson Ranger used to be a leader, too," he said. "Before he and Navy joined up with the other four, he was the leader of the Thunders."

"You can't have a leader when it's just two of you," said Rune. "A leader leads a group, when you're a pair it's a partnership."

Kali bit her lower lip and turned to Hunter; eyebrows raised.

Hunter shot her a look.

"What about you, Rune, do you have a favourite Ranger?" Kali asked.

Rune shrugged. "If they had a silver Ranger then maybe," she said, although she didn't sound all-too convincing.

"You said last night that you liked the Green Ranger because he was a Samurai," said Charlie.

Rune lowered her gaze and spooned another lot of sundae into her mouth. "Green's cool, I suppose," she said.

Kali folded her arms and leaned forward on the table. "Something tells me you like Samurais, huh?" she asked.

"Like Samurai's?" Charlie repeated. "She loves Samurai's. She has tons of books on them and learns every day about their history, dating back generations. She does Samurai training every day, and even has a folding zord of an ow -" he broke off, clutching his arm as Rune punched him hard.

Rune glared at him, her eyes narrowed and flashing angrily. "Shut up, Charlie," she snapped. "We're not supposed to talk about that."

Kali and Hunter shared a look.

"Mom told us never to talk about them in public," said Rune. "It could get people in trouble."

"What could?" Hunter asked.

Kali punched him. Whatever it was, it was obviously upsetting for Rune, and they didn't need either child upset while in their care.

"I want to go home now," said Rune, abandoning her sundae. She looked to Kali. "Please?"

Kali looked from Rune to Charlie, he was staring at the tabletop, tears in his eyes. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea," she said. She got up, paid for the two sundaes and four drinks, and led the pair out of the shop.

"What was that about?" Hunter asked, dropping his voice to a whisper and leaning closer to Kali.

"I don't know," Kali said, shaking her head.

**~X~**

Over the next few days, Hunter and Kali saw less of Rune and Charlie than they had expected. Kali had called Rhea a few times to check in, only to be told that Rune didn't feel up to taking part in the mentorship anymore, and Charlie didn't feel that needed a male figure in his life this long after his dad had passed.

On the third day of not seeing the two kids, Hunter found Kali sitting in the back of Storm Chargers reading a book, but also wearing headphones. He wandered inside and tapped her shoulder as he sat down.

"Oh, hey," said Kali, removing her earbuds and looking up. "Aren't you supposed to be working?"

Hunter shrugged. "How can you read and listen to music at the same time?" he asked.

"It's a gift."

Hunter shook his head. "What are you reading?" he asked, trying to glimpse the page.

"It's a History book from Root core," said Kali. "I'm looking for information."

"On?"

"What Charlie said about Rune having a Folding Zord got be curious," said Kali, lowering her voice. "I remember reading something when I was studying about the Mystic Realm when I first became a Power Ranger."

"Okay," said Hunter, unsure where she was going.

"Remember what Charlie said about Rune learning about Samurai's going back generations?"

Hunter nodded.

"Well, there is a Ranger team out there that passes down Folding Zords to the eldest child of the next generation," said Kali, passing him the book. "The Samurai Ranger team. They started in Tokyo, Japan in the 1700s, fighting creatures known as Nighlok," she showed him a page, three spaces back from where she had been reading.

Hunter's gaze skimmed the words on the pages before him.

"Each Samurai ranger was gifted a Folding Zord," Kali continued, flipping over to the page she had been reading when he entered. "Each folding zord was based on an animal that represented each Samurai house - Red, Lion, Blue, Dragon, Green, Bear, Yellow, Ape, Pink, Turtle, and Silver, Owl."

"Charlie didn't say 'Owl'," Hunter said.

"He was about to," said Kali. "Rune punched him to shut him up before he could finish."

Hunter hesitated. "This doesn't mean anything, though," he said. "The Folding Zord she has could just be a prop, or even a collectible item. You know, there's dolls out there of Power Ranger teams gone by. I mean, look at the Mystic Force ones we saw last week."

"The last lot of Samurai were active twelve years ago," said Kali. "Their reign ended in 1993, when Mighty Morphin' were active in Angel Grove. The eyes of the world were trained on Angel Grove, and Rita Repulsa. It could explain why there was no Samurai merch available."

"Okay. So, you're saying, what, exactly?"

"I'm saying that I think Rune is the eighteenth generation of Samurai," said Kali. "I think that's why her training is top secret, and she didn't want to talk about it. It also explains why she was peeved at Charlie for bringing it up." She flipped to another page. "The Samurai rangers have one rule that they must abide by - stay away from friends and family, in order to protect them."

"But we're not family," said Hunter.

"But we are part of their circle now," said Kali. "Rune is probably terrified that if the Nighlok come back then we'll be targeted."

Hunter considered the book and then looked up at Kali. "You really believe this?" he asked.

"Show me evidence that I shouldn't," Kali challenged.

Hunter sighed and looked back at the book. Everything she had said made sense, and he couldn't challenge it, even if he wanted too. He didn't have evidence to prove her wrong, and she had a whole lineage of Samurai history in her corner. "What do we do?" he asked.

"There is only one thing we can do," said Kali, taking back the book. "If and when we see them again, we don't bring it up. This is Rune's… heritage, and while the Nighlok may never make a comeback, there is nothing to say that they won't. We know that we can defend ourselves, but she doesn't, and she's still only a child. I say we try and lighten her burden as much as we can."

Hunter nodded. "Okay," he said. He tapped his inner thigh and then looked around. "I best get back to work."

Kali nodded. From the corner of her eye, she watched him stand. A glimmer of something on his inner arm, just beneath the crook of his elbow caught her attention, causing her to reach out and grab his wrist, stopping him from leaving.

"What?" Hunter asked, startled.

"What's that?" Kali asked, pulling his arm towards her. She traced the shape and glanced up at him. "When did you get that?"

Hunter shrugged. "It just appeared one day," he said.

"Let me guess, two weeks after the incident at the Cavern of Souls?"

Hunter opened and closed his mouth. He then swallowed and nodded. "How did you -?" he broke off as she stood, shrugged out of her jacket, and extended her arm, showing him the same exact symbol beneath the crook of her right elbow.

The pair stared at one another.

"My mom, Eithne, has been looking into it," said Kali. "But there is nothing in the books at Root core on weird symbols magically appearing on people's skin. But the fact that we both have one - the same one and in the same place, might be helpful." She took her phone from her back pocket and looked to Hunter. "You mind?"

Hunter shook his head.

Kali snapped a quick picture and sent it to Nick with a small message of _'show this to Mom, please, and get back as soon as possible._ '

"This is weird," said Hunter.

"Tell me about it," said Kali. "I'll let you know when they get back to me."

Hunter nodded and returned to work, leaving Kali to mull over everything that had just happened and what she had learned about Rune Winters.

**~X~**

"…I'm getting rocked in the middle of this block," the monster hissed as he was attacked from two angles.

Ninja streaking away from the monster, Hunter and Blake stopped, fully morphed and ready for a fight.

"Who is this Radiohead?" Blake asked.

"He thinks he's Johnny Love," said Hunter.

"Don't touch that dial 'cause D.J. Drummond is coming at you with 5,000 watts of P-p-power!" the monster called, unleashing several tendrils of energy at the two brothers.

As Hunter and Blake hit the ground, DJ. Drummond turn at the sound of fast approaching footsteps.

"Surprise!" Shane, Dustin, Kali, and Tori called, drawing their swords as they approached. They leapt into the air, slamming their swords down onto the monster, only to feel an electrical current surge up their sword blades and into their hands.

Kali hissed and hit the ground, her body twitching.

D.J. Drummond laughed and looked around at the six rangers at his mercy. "You're mine now," he said, raising his swords above his head.

There was a pause, and then he disappeared with a flash.

"Hey!" Dustin called, scrambling to his knees. "Where'd he —"

"He just… vanished," said Tori, waving her hands through the air where the monster had once stood.

"It's almost like magic," said Shane. He looked around at Kali.

Kali picked herself up, shaking out her arms and legs to work the electrical current that she could still feel out of her body. "What?" she asked, looking at Shane and then around at the others.

"I said, it's like magic," said Shane. "Did you have something to do with this?"

"Me? Are you serious, right now?" Kali asked, relinquishing her morphed state. "I'm in the dark as much as you are, about it all. There's no magic here."

Shane shrugged. "Alright, I'm sorry," he apologised. "This is just too weird."

Pulling her phone out of her pocket as it bleeped, Kali checked the screen and then turned to Hunter. "It's Rhea. She wants to talk."

"Do you think -?" Hunter started.

Kali shrugged. "One way to find out," she said.

Hunter nodded and turned to the others. "Can you guys handle this for now?" he asked. "We gotta be somewhere."

"Yeah. Later," Dustin said as Hunter and Kali took off.

"They're getting alone," said Tori turning to Blake,

Blake nodded.

**~X~**

Arriving at the Winters house, Hunter and Kali found Rhea and Rune on the front porch. A painting easel had been set up and Rune was standing behind it with a paint pot and brush. Kali shared a look with Hunter and subtly shook her head as they approached.

"Hey," Hunter said, catching Rhea's attention. She smiled at him. "Is Charlie home?"

"He's inside," said Rhea, nodding behind her. "One of those new games — he can't tear himself away."

Hunter grinned and nodded. "Do you mind?" he asked.

"Go for it," said Rhea. "Down the hall, second door on your left."

"Thanks," said Hunter, heading inside.

As Hunter disappeared, Kali looked from Rune to Rhea. "You said you wanted to talk?" she asked.

"Yeah. Rune, why don't you take a break?" Rhea suggested.

"Can I play my game now?" Rune asked.

Rhea nodded and Rune headed inside. Once she was out of earshot, Rhea turned to Kali. "I did some digging," she said. "You're Kali Briar."

"Yep."

"From Briarwood."

Kali nodded and repeated, "Yep." She had a feeling where this was heading.

"Black Ranger."

Kali sighed and said, "Yep" for the third time.

"Rune was a big fan of yours," said Rhea. "She used to ask me, all the time, why she couldn't be the Black Ranger."

"Why she had to be the Silver?"

For a second, Rhea looked startled. But, instead of rushing off, claiming she had no idea what Kali was talking about, she smiled and nodded. "Yeah. She doesn't hate the colour silver, but after seeing you, or rather the Black Mystic Ranger in action, she wanted to be just like her."

Kali smiled faintly.

"How long have you known about her?" Rhea asked.

"Not long. Charlie let slip a little too much information the first time we had them," said Kali. "It wasn't hard to do some digging, and with the entire Mystic Realm at my fingertips…" she trailed off with a shrug.

Rhea nodded and motioned to a garden set on her front lawn. The pair sat down. "Yeah, I've been trying to get Charlie to understand the importance of keeping the Samurai secret, but he's not born into it like Rune is, so he doesn't understand."

"He's also just a kid. And with the Ninja Rangers running around fighting monsters almost every day, he's bound to get excited."

"True," Rhea agreed. "But there is more at stake with the Samurai line. If the Nighlok find out about him, they'll use him against Rune, and she has enough to deal with without her brother being pulled into it."

Kali tilted her head to the side. "If he's her brother, how come he's not born into the Samurai line?" she asked.

"Oh, well, he's not her full brother," said Rhea. "Charlie is actually my godson. I adopted him when he was two years old, his real mother was an addict - gambling - and she wound up in a lot of trouble because of it. The courts ruled that she was unfit to raise Charlie, and she asked me to take him in."

"What about his dad?" Kali asked. "I mean, that's why he's in the big brother, little brother programme, isn't it?"

Rhea nodded. "His dad was a drunk," she explained. "He loved Charlie, don't get me wrong, but he was unfit to raise him. Three month ago he was diagnosed with kidney failure, and as soon as he that he wasn't going to fight it, or probably because he had to give up the drink, he gave up."

"Poor Charlie," said Kali. "Taking him on as your own can't have been easy given your history."

Rhea shook her head. "No, it wasn't," she said. "I debated for a whole week before finally deciding to agree. I figured, may as well give Rune a little bit of a normal life, a family and whatnot, otherwise she's going to be isolated until the Nighlok return, and we both know that may never happen."

Kali murmured.

"Does your friend know?" Rhea asked. "About you being the Hellhound and a former Power Ranger?"

Kali nodded.

"Good. Enemies are easy to come by, allies, not so much," said Rhea.

"Yeah," said Kali, distractedly. Her gaze lifted to the window over Rhea's shoulder and her eyes widened. "Uh, excuse me a second," she said, hastily, getting to her feet. She rushed into the house, down the hall, and into Charlie's room, just as Hunter tossed a Kelzak over his shoulder.

The kelzaks disappeared and Kali met Hunter's gaze.

"That was awesome!" Charlie gushed before either Kali or Hunter could say anything. He was grinning at Hunter. "You didn't tell me you did martial arts."

"You never asked," said Hunter, breathing heavy. "Don't tell me there's something we both actually like?"

Charlie nodded.

Kali smiled and shook her head. "What do you think, Charlie, do you want Hunter to show you some tips for fighting off the bad guys?" she asked.

"Really?" Charlie asked, excitedly. "I watch Rune practice all the time, and sometimes my mom lets me practice, too, but I'm out of my depths at Rune's level. She's way to good."

"Well, after a few lessons, you'll be at her level in no time," said Kali, ruffling his hair.

Charlie grinned.

**~X~**

"…You just been cancelled!" said Cam. "Cyclone morpher, power up!" He launched himself at the monster but was swiftly taken out by the energy watts. He stumbled backwards into the arms of Hunter and Kali, who had just arrived.

"We got you," said Kali.

Taking a stand in front of the pair, Hunter levelled his crimson blaster at the monster and opened fire. The attack did very little to stop the D.J. who merely absorbed the energy and fired it back at them.

"Not cool," Kali groaned, rolling onto her stomach.

The monster laughed as he stalked towards the trio but stopped as the others arrived on their Tsunami cycles. Jumping from his bike, Blake wrapped his Navy Antlers around the DJ's waist and hauled him into the air.

"Going up!" Blake said, throwing the monster over his head.

"Kelzaks!" the monster called, summoning his small army.

The weird, garbling, black and red monsters wobbled into view, swarming the team and cutting them off from one another. Kali looked at Cam and nodded, unsheathing her sword from her back and powering it up as high as it would go.

"Ninja Sword," Kali called, taking a running leap into the air. "Darkness wave!"

A blanket of darkness covered the area, smashing into the kelzaks and causing them to spark and disappear. But, as one set was destroyed, a second appeared.

"Hunter! Blake, call it!" Cam called, fending off the second, and much bigger swarm.

"You got it!" said Hunter, as he and Blake combined their weapons.

"No!" the monster whined. "Not the — no!"

"FIRE!" Hunter and Blake called.

The energy blast soared through the air, hit the DJ in the chest, and pushed him backward into the mountainside. He exploded on impact.

"Awesome!"

"Way to, guys!"

Kali tensed and cast her gaze towards the skies. "Don't cheer yet," she said. "It's not over."

The others groaned as DJ returned.

"You two ready?" Shane asked, turning to Hunter and Blake.

The Thunders nodded.

Cam turned to Kali.

"I know," said Kali, holding up her hands. "Heading back to base. Good luck, guys."

**~X~**

Tori nudged Kali as she dropped into the empty space beside her. "How's things with you and Hunter?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't give me that," said Tori, shaking her head. "You two haven't fought in days. It's creeping me out if I'm honest."

Kali rolled her eyes and shrugged. "We agreed to put our differences aside for the sake of Charlie and Rune, and I guess, we just realised that we work better as a team than we do as enemies."

"Finally," said Tori, laughing. "I agree with Blake, by the way."

"On what?"

"On the fact that if you weren't spoken for -"

"I've heard enough," said Kali, standing and walking from the room.

Tori laughed. "Hey, where are you going?" she called after her friend. "You're going to miss the winners video."

"I'll be back," Kali replied. She wandered over the back room and found Charlie and Hunter instead, working on one of the bikes. She smiled and winked at Charlie but didn't enter the room. Instead, she turned and walked out back to find Rune sitting alone.

Rune looked up as Kali sat on the floor beside her. The one thing she liked about Kali was that she didn't expect any talking, she was happy to sit in silence, and that's what Rune enjoyed sometimes. Between training, symbol training, and playing video games, Rune didn't have much of a social life, she liked being alone, and thrived on silence.

"Mum told me that you know," said Rune, breaking the silence first. "About me."

Kali glanced at the kid.

"She said, you know what it's like, to have a secret that you can't tell anyone," Rune added.

Kali nodded.

"Can I hear it?"

Kali tilted her head back and rested it against the wall. She puffed out a breath and reached into her jacket pocket, removing her mystic morpher. She held it in her hands, and then handed it to Rune. "You know what this is?" she asked.

"It's a mystic morpher!" Rune gushed. "Wait - are you -? You were a Mystic Ranger?"

"I wasn't just a Mystic Ranger," said Kali. "I was the Black Mystic Ranger. The Hellhound."

Rune's eyes widened. "Black Mystic - seriously?! You were my -"

"Favourite," said Kali, nodding. "Yeah. You're mum said."

"I'd give anything to be the Black Ranger," said Rune, passing back the Mystic Morpher. "Don't get me wrong, Silver is a good colour, but…" she trailed off, shaking her head.

Kali nudged her arm. "You're power is the moon, right?" she asked.

Rune nodded.

"Even the moon has a dark side," said Kali. "You're colour may not be black, but you can still draw on the darkness that the moon offers you. I don't know much about symbol power, but I can show you how to harness the darkness for the light. What do you say?"

Rune considered Kali closely. "You can really show me that?" she asked.

"Yep," Kali nodded. "It won't make you stronger than any other Ranger, but it will help defend you and those you love, against the Nighlok, should they return."

Rune smiled.

"And" Kali added, snapping her open her mystic morpher. She inputted three digits, pointed the wand-tip at her hand and muttered a spell. A card appeared, with a name and number scrawled on the back. "Should you need help, you call me, okay? Any time or place, I'll be there."

Rune took the card and nodded. "Thank you, Kali," she said, hugging the older girl.

"You're most welcome," Kali said, pressing a kiss to the top of Rune's head.


	19. Sensei Switcheroo

"Hey Kali, come meet my dad!" Dustin called.

Kali, who had been sitting in the TV room of Storm Chargers, looked up and smiled. She pushed herself to her feet and wandered over, reaching out a hand to shake with Mr. Brooks.

"Dad, this is Kali Briar," said Dustin, "and yes, she's the same Kali Briar from the Briarwood."

"You mean the Power Ranger?" Mr. Brooks asked, stunned. "Wow, what an achievement."

Kali forced a smile. "Yeah. I'm starting to wish that new station hadn't broadcasted the story if I'm honest," she said. "I now know what it's like to be a celebrity without actually being one."

"Well, I don't know about that," said Mr. Brooks. "You saved the whole of Briarwood from being destroyed. That's pretty celebrity status to me."

Kali chuckled. "I'm glad someone, other than your son, finds it an achievement worth having, Mr. Brooks," she said.

"Call me Jake. Mr. Brooks makes me look for my father."

Kali laughed. "Jake, it is," she said. "You in town long?"

"Only until the end of the day," Jake confirmed. "Just flew into surprise Dustin and his sister for next week.

Kali glanced at Dustin. "What's next week?" she asked, feeling slightly out of the loop.

"My sister's birthday," said Dustin. "Mum and Dad are divorced. He flies in every year to surprise us."

Jake smiled awkwardly.

"Divorce is nothing to be ashamed of," said Kali. "My parents are together, but never around. They're overseas right now, and probably not even in the same country. Pretty sure my mum was in Dublin, last I checked in, and Dad was in Germany."

"That sounds rough," said Jake.

Kali shrugged. "I'm used to it," she said. "If this is the last few hours for with your dad, why are you here? I mean, each to their own and everything, but if I got to spend another day with Joe, I'd be out there -" she pointed towards the door of the store, "and not at work."

"We stopped by to pick up some new riding gloves," said Dustin. "Dad thrashed his new pair."

"You guys ride together?" Kali asked.

"I taught him everything he knows!" Jake grinned.

"That's awesome."

Dustin laughed and clapped his father on the shoulder.

"Well, I'm not going to keep you any longer," said Kali. "It was great to meet you, Jake. I'll see you later, Dustin."

Dustin and Jake both waved as Kali headed for the door. She stopped behind Cam, Hunter, and Blake on her way as they watched Dustin and Jake in the corner.

"A guy and his dad. I miss that," Hunter said.

"Yeah, me too," Blake sighed.

Kali huffed, startling the trio. "Haven't I already apologised for that?" she asked.

"We're not saying it's your fault," said Blake. "At least, not anymore, it's just, we miss it."

Hunter nodded his agreement. At first, he had blamed Kali relentlessly for the death of his parents, but now he knew that was not the case. Sure, the Great Battle had started in order to destroy her and Nick before they could grow into the people they are now, but that didn't mean she had sent his parents purposely into battle. His father had gone to do his job, just like he had a job to do to defend the world against Lothor.

Cam sighed as he watched Dustin and Jake laugh.

"What's your deal?" Kali asked, nudging him.

Cam shook his head. "Just thinking," he said. "I understand where you guys are coming from, missing your dad and all that."

"At least your dad is still around," said Hunter.

"Yeah, but hi-fiving a guinea pig just isn't the same," said Cam, shaking his head.

Kali hugged Cam tightly.

**~X~**

Kali furrowed her brow as she entered Ninja Ops. She and Cam had parted ways at Storm Chargers, with Cam returning to Home Base and Kali heading through an oak tree homebound for Root core; she'd had a message from her mother on the weird rune that had appeared on both her and Hunter's wrists, and finally had an answer to it. She had just returned, hoping to find Hunter at Ops, seeing as he wasn't at work, like he was supposed to be.

"Why are the lights off?" Kali asked, looking around. She spotted Cam, Tori, Sensei, and Shane at the supercomputer. "Did we have a power cut?"

"Everyone okay?" Cam asked.

Kali cocked her head to the side. Now she was really confused and concerned. "What happened?" she grumbled.

"I'll explain later," said Cam, shaking his head. "Dad," he added, turning to the guinea pig. "Are you okay?"

"Dude, who you calling dad?" the Guinea pig asked.

Kali's eyed widened as she recognised the voice coming from the little furry rodent. "Shane?" she asked.

"Yeah. Why am I looking up at you?" Shane asked. "When did you get so… tall?"

"My height hasn't changed," said Kali. She turned to Cam and Tori. "Do you want to tell him or should I?"

"Tell me what?" Shane asked.

"I think we have a problem," said Cam.

"You think?" Kali asked.

Tori frowned as she continued to look at Shane. "If Shane is in Sensei's body then where is -?" she broke off, her head swivelling around as her gaze sought out her friend. He stood, a little off to the side, leaning against a support beam, his hands clasped in front of him and a small, serene smile on his face.

"Yes, Tori," said Sensei.

"This can't be happening," said Tori, looking from her friend to her teacher and back again. "Shane is in the Sensei's body, and Sensei is in Shane's body?"

"That would appear to be the case," Sensei said.

"Aah!" Cam, Kali, and Tori gasped as the computer sparked and died, completely.

Cam huffed in frustration. "And if that weren't bad enough, the force of the elemental pulse has shorted all of Ninja Ops," he said shaking his head, and making his way towards the computer.

"Why do you look guilty?" Kali asked Tori.

Tori shrugged. She smiled as she spotted Shane and squatted down beside the console. "You know, you look kind of cute when you wrinkle your nose like that," she teased.

Kali snorted.

"This isn't funny, Tori," Shane said. "I can't be a guinea pig today; I have a skate demo."

"Not to mention what we're supposed to do if Lothor attacks," said Cam, gesturing to the supercomputer. "We're on backup power as it is."

"This is what happens when you mess with things that you don't understand, Cam," said Kali.

Cam shot her a dark look.

Kali shrugged in return. "Xander's going to get a kick out of this," she said, snapping a picture of him. "He was devastated that he couldn't get time off for the demo, but he'll feel much better knowing your suffering, too."

"You're mean," Shane pouted.

"Aw, I'm sowwy," Kali teased, scratching Shane's head. At first, he leaned in to it, his tiny lips curving upwards into a satisfied smile; he then seemed to collect himself and shook her off.

Kali and Tori laughed.

"We must not let anyone know of our dilemma," said Sensei.

"Ha!" Shane cried turning to Kali. "Delete that picture."

"I think he means outside of the Ranger family, Shane," said Kali, waving her phone just out of reach of him.

Shane grunted as he jumped up, trying desperately to grab the device that was three sized bigger than him. He stumbled, and almost toppled off the console, but sighed in relief as Kali caught the back of his tunic and lifted him into the air.

"Tori's right, Shane is way cuter as a rodent. Can we leave him like this?" Kali asked, looking around at Cam.

Sensei did his best to hide an amused smile.

"As I was saying," said Sensei. "I will uphold your skating obligations, Shane," he nodded at his student.

Tori glanced at Kali in hesitation. "Uh, no offence, Sensei - you may look like Shane, but skate like Shane. No way," she said.

"Yeah, I'm going to have to agree with her on that one," said Kali.

"You must not underestimate the power of a Ninja Master," Sensei told them.

Kali scratched the back of her head. "Uh, no disrespect, Sensei, but, uh, you didn't strike me as the skater type thirty-years-ago, and you haven't exactly been, you know, human, for a few years," she said, awkwardly. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"Then what would you have me do?" Sensei asked.

"Well, Shane could always forfeit the demo," said Kali. "I mean, there will be other demos. It's not like this will be his last one, ever."

Shane's eyes widened. "No way! You know how long it took me to get this far!" he exclaimed. "I'd rather stay a guinea pig for the rest of my life than miss today."

"You may have to if Cam can't find a way to switch you back," said Kali.

"Trust me, Kali, I shall be fine," said Sensei, reassuringly.

Kali shrugged. "Okay. In that case, I'm coming too," she said. "You know, for backup."

"You mean to record it and hold it over me forever!" Shane said.

Kali grinned and scratched his head again. "Now, Shane, would I do that to you?" she asked.

Shane grit is teeth as Sensei nodded.

"Cam, stay here, and correct the situation," said Sensei, addressing his son. "Tori, Kali, take me to the skate park, please?"

Tori nodded and Kali closed her phone.

"Wait a second, what am I supposed to do?" Shane called. "I'm starving."

"Here. Try some of these," said Tori, reaching for a bag of sesame seeds. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

"And if you're a good little guinea pig, we'll bring you a takeout," Kali laughed, teasingly.

Shane growled.

**~X~**

Kali bit her lip as she followed Sensei around the skatepark with her phone, recording every false move he made while trying to act like a normal teenager. It was obvious that he was out of practice, and while she knew the truth, it wouldn't be long for others to realise that something was up if he didn't get his head in the game soon.

"What is up with him today?" Kelly asked. She had come out to watch the start of the demo, and wish Shane luck before his turn, but she couldn't stay as she still had a shop to run.

"I think it's an inner ear thing," said Tori, touching her ear for emphasis. "You know," she added, as Kelly shot her an unconvinced look, "the inside part."

"The equilibrium part?" Kali offered.

Kelly nodded, although both Kali and Tori could tell she wasn't convinced. "I'd better go. Tell him I said good luck."

"Oh, he's going to need all the luck in the world," Kali muttered.

Tori rolled her eyes and shoved her arm, knocking her phone out of focus. Kali laughed and stopped recording, snapped the phone closed and stored it away inside her pocket. She'd had saved enough footage to tease Shane with for one day.

"Ahh!" Sensei cried as he was tossed through the air. He had tried to perform a stunt on the ramp, lost his balance mid-way up and tumbled backwards over the ledge, landing with a crack on the floor at his students' feet.

Tori and Kali gasped. "Are you okay?" they asked, helping him back to his feet.

"I'm not used to being back in human form again," Sensei admitted.

"I did warn you about that," said Kali.

Sensei smiled, patiently.

"A wise rodent once told me to use my inner Ninja in times like these," said Tori.

Sensei paused as he considered her words. He then clapped her on the shoulder, smiled, and skated off again towards the ramp.

"Hey," Dustin called, jogging over to his friends as he arrived.

"You made it," Tori grinned.

"Yeah. I just dropped my dad off at the airport," Dustin said. "Did I miss anything?"

Kali shrugged. "I guess that depends on your definition," she said.

Dustin furrowed his brow before his eyes widened as Tori reached up to whisper in his ear. "No way!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing across the park and interrupting Sensei's concentration, causing him to take another tumble.

Kali winced as she watched him roll to a stop in the centre of the ramp.

As the demo continued, Sensei got more and more in the groove. His inner Ninja shared the same powers as Shane - Air, and while Shane was still a student, Sensei was, has he repeatedly reminded his students, a Ninja Master, and therefore knew how to use the air around him to his advantage.

"I should at least get this on camera, too," said Kali, fishing out her phone. She opened it and hit record. "You know, show Shane that he didn't totally botch his chances today."

"You're being nice," Dustin teased.

Kali stuck her tongue out at him and turned her focus back to Sensei. She grinned and followed his progress around the ramp, filming him as he skated up one side, along the railing, and back down. He did a few simple tricks, and the confidence on his face was magnified tenfold as he passed the spot that Kali was recording from.

"I think he's got," said Kali.

"Yeah," Tori agreed.

A scream cut through the air, and startled, Kali almost dropped her phone as she turned to investigate why.

"Let's go!" said Tori, leading the way into a fray of Kelzaks.

Kali pocketed her phone and followed quickly.

"You ready for this, Sensei?" Tori asked, as Sensei fell into step between her and Dustin.

Sensei considered the situation coolly. "I think the term is - bring it on," he said.

Squawking, the Kelzaks swarmed forward, causing the team to split off and deal with their own handful. Kali ducked under a punch and flipped backwards, kicking up as she did, and taking out a Kelzak with a smack to the face.

"Now there's something you don't see every day," said Tori. She had just finished with her Kelzaks when Kali and Dustin returned to her side, ahead of them, demolishing the last of his own foot soldiers, was Sensei.

Kali nodded in agreement. "I'll ask again - can we keep him instead of Shane?" she asked.

Tori smiled and shook her head.

With the Kelzaks officially destroyed, the three friends regrouped with their teacher, congratulating him on his first fight in months. Their victory was short-lived, however, as a second later a weird foot-like monster appeared in the deserted Skate park.

"Ready to get stomped on by Footzilla?" the monster asked.

"I hate feet!" Kali grumbled.

"Come on. Let's play!"

Tori turned to Sensei. "You want to do the honours?" she asked.

"It would be my pleasure," said Sensei. He turned his attention back to Footzilla. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Earth! Power of Water! Power of Air!"

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Darkness!"

"This feels quite pleasant," said Sensei, flexing his arms and reaching them out either side of himself, before clasping his hands behind his back.

Footzilla clapped his hands together. "I'll keep you on your toes," he laughed. He took a step forward and then broke into a run.

Kali stepped forward, stopping as Sensei flung out his arm in front of her. "Wait," he said. "Allow me if you please."

"Um, okay," said Kali, nodding. She stepped back and glanced at Tori and Dustin.

Sensei squared off against Footzilla, considering him. He held out his hand, palm up, and motioned with his fingers towards the monster. "Come," he said, inviting him to fight.

Footzilla screeched and raced forward. He took a startled step backwards when Sensei pulled his Ninja Sword over his shoulder and deftly slashed, several times, across his chest and torso. Sensei then leapt over Footzilla, landed on top of the skate ramp, and sheathed his sword.

The minute the hilt hit the top of its sheath, Footzilla exploded.

"Whoa," Dustin breathed.

"I must say, I am enjoying being full-size again," said Sensei, walking through the air as he returned to Tori, Dustin, and Kali.

Tori grinned and turned to her teacher. "You're awesome!" she said.

"Wicked moves, dude," said Dustin, laughing.

"Dustin you will kindly not refer to me as… dude."

Kali bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"Oh. I'm sorry, Sensei, "Dustin apologised, bowing his head in respect.

Footzilla growled as he straightened up. "Now I'm hopping mad!" he said, facing the group of four again. He lunged forward, swinging his fists, but was blocked by Sensei, who delivered a well-aimed punch to Footzilla's stomach and knocked him back.

"Go!" Sensei ordered.

Without thinking, Kali rushed at Footzilla and flipped over him, as Tori and Dustin chart wheeled either side of him.

Stunned at their intervention, Footzilla turned to fight them, but was knocked back as they kicked him in the stomach, simultaneously. He grunted and tripped, landing with a smack on the floor.

"Hold him!" Kali called.

Dustin and Tori nodded, each racing forward and taking hold of Footzilla's arms. They hauled him to his feet, as Sensei and Kali each unsheathed their swords and leapt into the air.

"Darkness Wave!" Kali called, wielding her sword above her head and striking it down on Footzilla as she landed, Sensei, on the other hand, leapt into the air, spun in a complete circle, and delivered his own resounding attacking, slicing right down Footzilla's chest and causing him to crackle.

Tori and Dustin spun away from Footzilla seconds before he exploded.

"Time for some sole searching," said Footzilla, stumbling back to his feet. He was breathing heavily, and, after putting his hands together, quickly disappeared.

"Guess he knew when to make tracks," said Tori, thoughtfully.

_**Beep.** _

"Go for Sensei — I always wanted to say that."

Kali smiled.

" _Everything_ _'s back up and running here,_ " said Cam. _"Come in, and I'll make the switch back._ "

"Aw, do we have to?" Dustin groaned.

"Thank you!" Kali said, clapping Dustin on the shoulder. "Finally, someone who agrees with me."

" _Don't try and persuade him, Kali,"_ Shane said.

Kali grinned. "Dustin doesn't need persuading, Shane," she said. "Just a little prompting, and I didn't even say anything this time."

Tori rolled her eyes.

**~X~**

The minute Sensei, Tori, Dustin, and Kali returned to Ops, Cam set about explaining what he had done, and what he needed to do in order to make the switch. "By implementing a new wireless power supply, I think I've fixed the problem," he explained. "As long as nothing disturbs the energy flow this time, everything should go according to plan."

"So, this just switches them back?" Kali asked. "It's not going to transform Sensei into a human, too?"

Cam shook his head. "No. I think I need a bit longer to figure out how to do that," he said.

Kali nodded. "Great. So, let's fire this baby up and switch them back," she said. "Unless, of course, Sensei wants to take me up on the offer to stay as Shane for a couple more days?"

Shane narrowed his beady little eyes at Kali.

Sensei chuckled under his breath. "Do not worry, Shane," he said. "I am ready to return to my rodent form. While today was fun, it is not my life."

"Thank you, Sensei," said Shane, sighing happily.

Kali smiled and shook her head.

"Everyone take a step back," Cam instructed.

Tori, Dustin, and Kali stepped back from the machine, watching intently as two forcefields appeared around Shane and Sensei, and current of brightly coloured energy raced back and forth.

"Hey, I think it's working!" Dustin exclaimed, excitedly. He gripped his hands into fists and thrust them out towards Shane.

There was a split-second pause, and then the energy transfer encased Dustin's hands.

"Oh no…" Dustin whispered, glancing fearfully at his friends. He knew he had messed up, and there was nothing any of them could do about it, and neither of them knew exactly how screwed up this would make things once the transfer was complete.

There was a blast and Dustin was thrown backward into Kali and Tori, both of whom stabled him before he could hit the floor, but Shane and Sensei were not so lucky. They were thrown from their podiums onto the floor.

Sitting up, Shane grinned and patted his legs. "Oh, I got legs! I got legs!" he gushed, pushing himself upright and sliding his palms over his upper thighs, stomach and flourishing his hands out with a grin. "I'm me again!"

Kali rolled her eyes and steadied Dustin on his own two feet. "That's great, Shane," she said. "But what about Dustin and Sensei? Are you two okay?"

"Dad?" Cam asked, picking his father up from the floor and setting him back down on the console. "How do you feel?"

"Like I could go for a big bag of sunflower seeds," said Dustin.

Kali blinked as she stared at the tiny rodent and then slowly turned to stare at Dustin. He was still sandwiched between her and Tori.

"We seem to have solved one problem and created another," said Sensei.

"Oh boy," Tori groaned.

Kali released Sensei and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"… _Just do it right this time!_ _"_

Cam turned to the computer as Kapri's annoyed and frustrated voice echoed over the speakers. "Hey, I think we're back online," he said, bringing up the scene. It showed Marah, Kapri, and Footzilla at the shopping district, rifting through baskets of shoes and tossing aside ones that weren't to their satisfaction.

"He's obviously not looking for bargains," said Shane, leaning on the chair beside Cam.

"Have the Thunder Rangers meet us there," said Sensei, standing idly nearby.

Cam nodded. "I'll join you after I fill them in," he said, opening a second screen to contact Hunter and Blake.

The others nodded and, while Sensei, Shane, and Tori Ninja-streaked from Ops, Kali followed behind them using her teleportation spell.

**~X~**

"Oh! They never have my size!" Footzilla complained, tossing aside another boot.

"Maybe because they don't make sizes for monsters," said Kali, arriving beside the others.

Footzilla jumped and spun around. "Rangers!" he snarled. "You're not going to step on my party!"

"We're here to wipe you out, toe jam!" Shane said.

"Ready?" asked Sensei.

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Water, Earth, Air!"

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Darkness!"

Sensei nodded at the trio alongside him. "After you," he said, allowing them the chance to prove themselves.

Without needing to be told twice, Kali pulled her sword over her shoulder and rushed forward. Fighting alongside a teacher while in ranger form wasn't a new thing to her, Daggeron had fought many battles with her and the other Mystics, while also training them for future ones. Whereas Tori, Shane, and Dustin had never fought alongside a teacher before, and it showed - the blue and red rangers hesitated, more than they usually did, occasionally checking to see if Sensei was watching them.

Kali rolled her eyes and blocked a punch from Footzilla, kicking up and kneeing him the stomach as he dismantled Shane and later Tori within seconds of the battle starting.

"Give it up, Black Ranger," said Footzilla.

"Not a chance!" Kali said. She shoved him back and spun around, slashing her sword across his chest and knocking him backward.

As Footzilla caught his bearings, Kali turned to Sensei as he approached her. It was strange for her to see Dustin's body and face look so serious, especially since she was used to Dustin being the loveable goofball that he was.

"Do you mind if I cut in?" Sensei asked.

"Sure," said Kali, lowering her sword and stepping back. "Be my guest."

Sensei nodded and stepped up to Footzilla.

"You and I are going toe-to-toe!" Footzilla warned. He swung his fist at Sensei, who merely leaned back, out of the way. Flustered, Footzilla tried again, but each time Sensei merely stepped back or leaned aside, and Footzilla missed again.

Though, Kali did notice that the more he missed, the more anxious and frustrated Footzilla got. Once he was at his breaking point, Sensei clenched his hand into a fist and smashed it into Footzilla's chest, knocking him backward through the air.

"Wow," said Tori, racing over to her teacher.

"It is interesting to note the difference between Red Ranger and Yellow Ranger's physiology," said Sensei, looking to Shane.

Kali shrugged, nonchalantly. "Maybe we could do that _after_ the fight?" she asked.

"Excellent point," Sensei agreed. He turned back to Footzilla. "You must pay, evil space alien."

Kali scrunched up her nose, and then shook her head.

Footzilla laughed and fired his boom-blaster at them. Sensei ducked aside, just as Kali threw up a shield. The boom-blast hit the reflective surface, causing it to shimmer but not falter.

"Nicely done, Kali," said Sensei, nodding.

"That's not all my shield can do," said Kali. "My magical ability his absorption. I can absorb any attack through my shield and use it for my own convenience. I used to only be able to do it in Titan form, but through training I can apply it to any form of magic I see fit."

"Sweet!" Shane grinned.

Tori nudged Kali. "Maybe we should keep it for a surprise attack," she suggested.

"Good idea," said Kali, nodding.

Growling, Footzilla stamped his feet into the ground and looked from the trio of Rangers to his left, and then around at the lone Ranger on his right. He snarled and started for Sensei, obliviously to the ass-kicking he had just received. He hadn't made it less than a foot, though, when Hunter and Blake leapt into view, kicking him back and onto the green near the fountain.

"Time to give this foot the boot," said Hunter, falling into line beside Blake. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Thunder Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Thunder!"

Once morphed, the two brothers streaked towards Footzilla, caught him under the arms and took off across the city centre and deposited him in the middle of a rock quarry.

**~X~**

"Oh, great! Another one!" Footzilla complained as Cam joined the chaos.

"Don't worry," Cam assured him. "I'm the last one." He attacked, keeping Footzilla at bay long enough for the others to arrive and regroup with the team.

Breaking away from Cam, Footzilla laughed and held out his boom-blaster. He turned it upright, firing a shot that was again deflected by Kali's shield.

"Try again!" Kali challenged. "You're only adding to the power that will eventually destroy you."

Footzilla laughed. "Think again, Black Ranger," he said. "I just tagged you all with anti-gravity bunion pads!"

"Anti-what now?" Kali asked looking around at the others. Her brow furrowed as she spotted a small, grey patch on Tori's under arm and reached over to try and tear it off.

Tori did the same. Reaching for the back of Kali's shoulder. "It won't come off!" she said, struggling against the seal.

"Neither will yours," said Kali. "Guys?" she looked around at the others, noticing them also struggling with their own patches. They were all on different parts of their bodies - arms, shoulders, underarms, legs, even ankles - and they were all stuck fast.

Footzilla laughed and lifted his boom-blaster into the air. "A little lighter on your feet — Anti-gravity power now!" he bellowed.

Kali gasped as she was lifted into the air. She wasn't afraid of heights or falling, for that matter, but being this high in the air, especially when her ability to control it was in the hands of one of Lothor's monsters, unnerved her.

"Still hanging in there, Rangers?" Footzilla called.

"Put us down!" Shane called back.

Footzilla laughed. "Okay, you asked for it," he said, using his staff to pull Shane back to the ground. He landed with such a force that he was wedged into the ground, his arms bound tightly at his side to prevent him from escaping.

"Shane!" Tori called.

"You're grounded, Red Ranger!" Footzilla laughed, prancing over and petting Shane on the head.

"Shane, focus your energy," Sensei called. "I'll distract Footzilla."

Shane nodded and, while Sensei threw his lion hammer, striking Footzilla in the back, Shane summoned his power over Air and burst out of the ground. Spinning rapidly in a circle, Shane skirted across the air and hauled Footzilla up.

"Hey! Put me down!" Footzilla whined.

Shane did as asked and dropped the monster back onto the ground with a resounding smack. He then dropped down, landing in front of Footzilla again and summoning his Hawk Blaster.

As Footzilla sparked and fell to one knee, the patches on the others disappeared, and they fell, landing in different heaps around the area where Shane had been trapped. At least, all of them except Sensei. He landed, perfectly, and lifted Shane's Ninja sword up, ready to give it back to his student as he joined them.

"Good job, Shane," said Sensei.

"Thanks, Sensei," said Shane, taking back his sword. "I think a little of you must've rubbed off on me."

"I wonder how long the wisdom will last?" Kali teased.

Shane rolled his eyes and turned back to Footzilla as he straightened up. He was not happy with being defeated.

"I'm not through yet!" Footzilla swore.

"Oh, you are so done," said Kali.

Shane nodded. "Come on, guys," he said. The others followed his lead and summoned their secondary weapons, combining them all together to form the Thunderstorm Cannon.

"Hold on," said Kali, placing her hand over the top of the cannon. "Here's a little 'return to sender' present for you." She muttered a spell, enchanting the cannon with the powers she had absorbed from Footzilla.

"Fire!" Shane called.

The ball of energy soared through the air, ripping through Footzilla and causing him to implode.

**~X~**

Kali folded her arms and leaned against a support beam beside the supercomputer. Alongside her, each one waiting and watching with bated breaths were the other Rangers, as Cam set up the machine that would transfer Dustin and his father's souls back into their respective bodies.

"Everything's all set," said Cam, once he had finished the fine tuning. He turned to his father, as Dustin jumped up onto the console, fully ready to be returned to his human form. He had quite a chilled day, not being a Ranger.

"Are you ready for this, Sensei?" Kali asked.

Sensei nodded at her and then turned his attention to Cam. "I never realised how hard it must be for you not having a human father any longer."

"Whatever form you're in, I'll always be there for you, and I know you're always there for me," said Cam.

Sensei nodded.

"That's really cool," said Dustin, interrupting. "But can we get this over with? I think I got fleas." He reached back to scratch behind his ears, his nose wrinkling in discomfort.

The others laughed and Kali pushed away from the support beam. "I'll go get the flea repellent," she said, patting Cam on the shoulder as she passed on her way to the kitchen.

"Thank you, Kali," said Sensei.

Kali waved over her shoulder as she disappeared from view. The others could hear her searching the cupboards and muttering to herself, as Cam made sure there was no chance of any of them disrupting the machine's current by keeping them at a safe distance.

There was a spark of power, a bright light, and then Dustin blinked, grinned, and jumped down from the podium, checking himself over for any unfamiliarity's.

"Oh, yeah!" Dustin cheered. "I'm unfurry! Oh, what a trip!"

"And I have returned to my rodent form," said Sensei, looking at his hands.

"Don't worry, Dad. I'm going to find a way to make you human again," said Cam.

"I know you will do your very best, son," said Sensei, wrinkling his nose. He looked up as Kali returned and smiled at the small bottle in her hand. "Would it be too much trouble to ask if you could make it rodent size?" he asked.

Kali smiled, snapped open her Mystic morpher, and pointed the wand-tip at the bottle. She muttered a shrinking spell and watched as the bottle shrunk down to a more manageable size for Sensei to use.

"Thank you, Kali," said Sensei, bowing his head.

Kali nodded back and carried him over the sliding door on the other side of the room. It opened and she set him down on the side, next to a miniature wash basin and left him alone. The door slid shut as she left, giving Sensei all the privacy, he needed to deal with his issues.

"Maybe we should dismantle that thing," said Kali, pointing at Cam's machine. "You know, so no other accidents can happen?"

Cam nodded. "I'll get right on it," he said.

"Cool. In the meantime," said Kali, grinning. "Who wants to see the results of Shane's demo while he was in Sensei's body?"

Shane narrowed his eyes as Kali withdrew her phone. "Give me that!" he yelled, lunging for her.

Kali howled with laugher and made a dash for the door.

* * *

**I hope everyone had a Happy Christmas/Holidays.**

**I do apologise for the varied updates. I have been extremely busy prepping a new writing project ready for 1** **st** **of January 2021, I haven't had a chance to do any writing on this story.**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


	20. Brother's In Arms

**The Hellhound** **'s Bond**

_The Hellhound_ _'s Bond is an ancient symbol securing the Hellhound to a particular person of its choosing. The ancient mystic's first believed that it was a bond of protection, an enchantment that secured the guardian of the Hellhound and an individual together, making that individual a guardian of the guardian. It was later revealed that the Hellhound's Bond was, in fact, a warning. It only appeared when the Hellhound was suspicious of a certain individual and had marked them as untrustworthy or dangerous. The mark, when found, was a warning to the mystics and the Hellhound's guardian to watch their backs around the marked individual, for they were not up to good._

_Over time, the Hellhound would mark itself with an identical rune, always found on the inner arm. Sometimes the inner wrist, but most often above the elbow, allowing its human guardian to know what to look for when they came across an individual they did not trust. The rune, however, has always stayed the same. Records show that it is depicted as a single, solitary line with a curved edge._

Kali traced her finger across the image present. It looked like a 'P' except the backward 'C' that aligned with the line that was curved and set three quarters of the way down the line, instead secured at the top. Frowning, Kali turned her attention back to the text and re-read it. This was what Eithne and Rune had managed to find on the images that she had provided, concerning the rune that she and Hunter shared?

"He's not to be trusted?" Kali whispered, unsure of whether or not to believe what she was actually reading. She and Hunter may have had their differences, and there was still room for them to improve their standings as friends, but everything he had done recently was for the good of mankind. He had selflessly put himself in danger to protect, not only her and the others, but the rest of the world, also. What was so mistrusting about a man that wanted to protect?

A knock on the door startled Kali, causing her to slam the book shut and slid it behind her. She relaxed as the door opened and Cam stuck his head inside.

"You okay?" Cam asked, noticing the startled expression.

"Yeah. Sorry," said Kali. "Was reading. What's up?"

Cam considered her for a moment. "We have an emergency," he said.

"I didn't hear any alarms?" Kali asked, furrowing her brow.

"I picked up the spike on the scanners," Cam explained. "It's down at the old railways. The others have gone on ahead, but I thought I'd let you know in case they need backup."

Kali nodded and, after sliding her book under her pillows, stood and followed Cam from the room.

**~X~**

Arriving on scene, Kali and Cam raced over to where Shane, Tori, and Dustin lay amidst their bikes. Kali knelt beside Tori and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You okay?" she asked.

"Uh-huh," Tori nodded.

"I got this!" said Cam, removing his vest. "Super Samurai Mode!" he called, unsheathing his sword and rushing at the new monster. He slammed the blade down onto his arm, only to be met with a clang of metal on metal, and a fist clutching the front of his suit.

"Cam!" Kali called as the monster threw the Samurai aside.

Cam groaned as he slid to the bottom of the support beam he had crashed into.

The metal man laughed and turned to Kali. "What?" he asked.

Kali growled and clenched her hands into fists. "Ninja Sword! Mystic Mode!" she called, running her two fingers down the blade. It sparked with black energy and Kali took a running leap forward. "Darkness Wave!"

The Metal monster laughed and held up his hand, firing the blast back at Kali. She groaned and slumped against the concrete wall she had been blasted into.

"Kali, you okay?" Shane asked, rushing over with the others.

Slightly dazed, Kali shook her head and stood. Her balance was a little unsteady as she tried to catch her bearings, but she was still able to do so without support. "Who is this guy?" she asked.

"I don't know," said Cam. "But he's not one of Lothor's goons."

The metal man laughed and spread his arms as he faced the Rangers. "This is just the beginning," he said.

"You ready guys?" Shane asked.

The others nodded and rushed forward.

Kali flipped over Tori and aimed a solid punch at the metal man's head. It connected, but she winced as a spasm of pain shot up her arm. "What is he, made of total metal?" she asked, unclenching her fingers and shaking out the pain.

"Maybe," said Dustin, breathing heavily. "If he is, it would explain his inhuman strength."

"What are we going to do?" Tori asked, rolling up onto her knees.

Shane gasped as he was kicked in the chest and knocked backward. "I'm open to suggestions," he said, wheezing.

The metal monster laughed and then turned, running back into the warehouse.

Kali sucked in a breath and pulled herself to her feet. "You're not getting away that easy," she said, staggering forward and then falling to her knees.

"Whoa, Kali, careful," said Cam.

The sound of twin engines roared, and the five teammates looked around as Hunter and Blake arrived on the scene.

"What's going on?" Hunter asked, swerving to a stop beside the others.

"He went inside," said Shane.

Hunter and Blake looked around at the warehouse doors. They nodded and sped off in search of the monster that had easily defeated their friends.

**~X~**

After being defeated by the newest power player in Blue Bay Harbour, the Rangers returned to Ninja Ops to nurse their wounds and try and find some answers. Kali sat on the console next to the super computer, her gaze drifting away from the computer screen to Hunter, as she remembered what she had been reading that morning.

_It was later revealed that the Hellhound_ _'s Bond was, in fact, a warning. It only appeared when the Hellhound was suspicious of a certain individual and had marked them as untrustworthy or dangerous._

Was Hunter not to be trusted? Could she really go back on all that they had accomplished by putting aside their petty differences? They had become a force to be reckoned with in the fight against Lothor, and he had helped her look after Rune and Charlie during their Big Brother/Big Sister programme. He had helped her discover one of the Rangers of a possible future Ranger team, after they had hopefully retired from battle, and had even fought side-by-side when she had Cam had returned form the past with Cam's new powers.

But she knew that Eithne and Rune didn't make mistakes when it came to Mystic History. She had to trust that they knew what they were doing when they sent her this information, and she had to trust that the information was true. If so, what was Hunter hiding that was so damn suspicious, and why hadn't she noticed any odd behaviour from him before now?

"This is the weirdest thing," said Cam, startling Kali out of her thoughts. She blinked and turned back to the computer, the others gathering around behind the genius, eager to hear what he had learned.

"What is it?" Tori asked.

"I've been running tests on Motodrome," said Cam.

Kali looked surprised. "Wait, that's his name?" she asked. "Motodrome?"

Cam nodded.

"How do you know that?"

"Oh. He told us," said Shane. "Before you got there."

Cam smiled, sheepishly. "Sorry. I forgot to tell you," he apologised.

"At least I don't have to keep calling him 'metal man'," said Kali. "What do the test results say?"

"He has traces of human DNA," said Cam, much to the shock of the others.

Shane scoffed. "No way. That thing is human?" he asked.

"Looks like some sort of mutation," said Cam, shaking his head.

"Then it's not one of Lothor's goons," said Blake.

Cam nodded. "No. I won't be able to find out who is it until the computer goes through the database," he explained.

"That's a lot of names," said Kali.

Cam nodded.

"Until then, you must take care in dealing with this creature," said Sensei. "We don't know what he's capable of."

Kali rubbed her hand. "I'm pretty sure his main goal in life is to destroy us," she muttered. "Causing us pain will only fulfil him for so long."

The others nodded.

**~X~**

"Are you sure that you're okay?"

Kali raised her head and looked around at Cam. "What?" she asked, blinking.

"I asked if you were sure you're okay," said Cam.

"Oh. Yeah, sure, no problem," said Kali, nodding. She looked back at her phone and sighed at the text message. She had been talking with Nick, who was at Root core with Eithne and the others, while she could've gone and been with them, too, especially since she had a reasonable excuse to be away from Ops, she had chosen to remain behind.

Shane, Tori, and Dustin were training, prepping themselves for another fight against Motordrome that was sure to ensue, while Blake and Hunter were at the track meeting with their new bike mechanic. Cam had stayed behind to keep her company, although he was more interested in finding out the true identity of Motodrome. Him being a mutant and not one of Lothor's goons was troubling. If Lothor considered Motodrome an essential piece on his chessboard and offered him a position of general within his ranks, the Rangers would be in even more trouble than they were already.

Even if Motodrome said no, the team was in trouble. He was exceptionally strong, and smart, and could outwit them at any point of a battle. Especially with his mutant strength and human knowledge. He could hide amongst them, in plain sight, which was why Cam was determined to find out his real identity. If they could figure that out, then maybe they would have a chance of defeating him before he could defeat them.

"Kali…"

Kali sighed and shut off her phone. "I'm just… distracted," she said. What could she say? She couldn't very well tell Cam that she didn't trust Hunter, especially not after everything they had been through, but she also couldn't tell him the truth. He'd never believe her, and even if he did, it was their word against Hunters, and they didn't exactly have proof that he was doing anything wrong. Sure, the rune proved that he was hiding something, but it wasn't concrete enough, even Kali knew that.

Even her own History book was unsure of the Rune's true reason for being. The ancient Mystics had translated it so many times, that even then had lost count of how many times they had described it. First it had been a protection rune, now it was a destruction rune, now it was one that communicated a threat. That was three predictions to many, and neither of them were 100% sure-worthy.

"It's about that book you were reading earlier, isn't it?" Cam asked. "What was it?"

"Just a History book," said Kali, shaking her head. "I'm still making my way through the Ancient Mystic's history. There's a lot of volumes, and given everything that we do, or have done in the last couple of months, I haven't really had a chance to finish them. I'm currently reading about the Hellhound."

"Find anything interesting about yourself that you didn't already know?"

Kali shrugged. "Depends on your definition of interesting," she muttered. She's heaved a sigh and then forced a smile, as she stood, stretching her muscles and walking over to the super computer. She leaned on the back of Cam's chair, eyeing the screen from over his shoulder. "Find anything on him yet?" she asked.

"Smooth," said Cam.

Kali smiled. "Is that a yes or a no?" she asked.

"I'm reaching the end of the database," said Cam. "I should have Motodrome's human identity any -" he broke off as the others rushed into Ops.

Blake's face was a picture of panic as the others tried their hardest to calm him down.

"What happened?" Kali asked, straightening up. Her brow furrowed as she realised, they were a Ranger short. "Where's Hunter?"

"Gone," said Blake. "Motodrome took him."

"Took him?" Kali repeated. "How? Where? Why?"

Blake shook his head. "I don't know. But we need to find out," he said. "Cam, can you find him? Can you, I don't know, search for his morpher or something?" He turned to Kali. "You said that he was a Mystic guardian, yeah? Can you use your magic to search for him?"

"I-" Kali hesitated. She wasn't sure how much help she could be in searching for someone. She could remember when Nick had disappeared, all the spells they had used to find him had been useless, and she had used the same spells to search for the team when they had disappeared many months ago on Portico Island.

"Hang on," said Cam. "I've almost got a lock on Motodrome's identity. If we know who he is as a human, maybe we can figure out where and why he's taken Hunter."

Blake watched the computer screen with a bated breath as the others crowded around. The minutes seemed to tick by, but no one dared break the silence that had fallen.

Kali swallowed.

Then… the computer beeped.

The image of Motodrome melted into a human face that stared back at them from the screen.

"Hey, isn't that -?" Dustin started.

"Perry," answered Blake. "I know where Hunter is."

"Then what are we waiting for?" said Kali. "Let's go."

Blake nodded and headed for the exit. He ground to a halt as Sensei called out to him, forcing him to turn back and face his teacher.

"I know your brother is in danger, but remember, so is Perry," Sensei explained. "If you don't destroy the Motodrome technology soon, it will consume him, and he will be gone forever."

"So, save Hunter, fry the machines, and save an innocent?" Kali asked. "Sounds like every other day of being a Ranger."

The others nodded and raced out of Ninja Ops.

**~X~**

"Hey, Motodrome, you want to come out and play?" Shane called.

Kali peered over the top of the waste barrels that she, Cam, and Blake were hiding behind. There had been a little confusion on which part of this plan she would be involved in, but in the end, it was decided that her magic would've been strongest dealing with the technology that had created Motordrome and she had been elected to go with Cam and Blake, while the others dealt with the Metal Man.

"Do you think he heard him?" Blake asked.

With a crash, the door to the warehouse where Perry lived exploded off its hinges, and Motodrome rode out on his bike.

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say yes," said Kali, ducking down so that Motodrome wouldn't see her on his way past. He revved the engine of his bike before swerving to a halt in front of the three rangers.

"How about a little battle of the bikes?" Shane challenged. "That's if that hunk of junk of yours can run at all."

"Oh, I'll show you what this hunk of junk can do!" Motodrome roared. He revved his engine again and chased the others as they rode away.

Jumping out from behind the waste bins, Blake, Kali, and Cam grinned at one another.

"It worked!" Blake said.

"Celebrate later," said Kali, nudging his shoulder. "Come on. The sooner we get to Hunter, the sooner we can put this whole day to rest."

Cam and Blake nodded.

"Right. Follow me," said Blake, leading the pair inside. They rushed through the darkened hallways, turned left at the end and burst into the main hall.

Kali wrinkled her nose at the foul smell and kicked aside an empty paint in. "Gross," she whined. "You're telling me that Perry lives here?"

Blake nodded.

"What, is he homeless or something?"

"I don't know," said Blake. "Come on. Let's find Hunter."

"Over here!" Cam called from the other side of the room. Kali and Blake rushed towards his voice and were both stunned and relieved to find him unhooking Hunter from a large machine. It seemed to be draining his energy, but the minute Cam hit the power button, it stopped, and Hunter slumped in his seat.

Checking his pulse, Blake sighed in relief. "He's okay," he said, running a hand through his hair. "He's okay."

Kali placed a reassuring hand on Blake's shoulder. It sagged as the tension and worry of quite possibly losing his brother left his body.

"Took you guys long enough," Hunter coughed.

"Be thankful we came at all," said Kali.

Hunter groaned as he tried to roll his eyes.

"Sorry," Kali said, unclipping the harness and lifting it from his chest. "Whoa, no way!" she added, pushing her palm against his chest as he tried to stand up. "You're not going anywhere. In you're in no fit state to be battling anyone today. Sit."

"Yes, Ma'am," said Hunter.

Kali grit her teeth and looked to Blake and Cam.

"You're going to make sure he's okay?" Blake asked, clapping Cam on the back.

Cam nodded.

"He's bickering with me, isn't he?" Kali asked. "I'd say he's A-okay."

"Just not okay enough to fight, apparently," Hunter murmured.

Kali rolled her eyes. "Dude, don't take it so personally, I'd be stopping the others if this had happened to them," she said.

"Geeze, and here was me thinking I was special."

Kali scoffed. "You wish, Bradley," she said. She glanced at Blake, quirking an eyebrow. "What are you still doing here? Go help the others. I'll join you as soon as I'm done here."

Blake hesitated, glancing from Kali to Cam and finally to Hunter.

"Go!" said Kali, pushing him away.

Heaving a sigh, Blake nodded. "Alright. See you out there!" he called, running back out of the room.

"You're a model of warmth and sympathy, you know that?" Cam asked Kali.

Kali shrugged. "He's not exactly helping by hanging around here, is he?" she asked. "He's more help with the others, right now. He knows Hunter's safe, and despite how cold I may seem, he knows he's in safe hands."

Cam rolled his eyes and turned back to the machine that was still connected to Hunter. "It's quite a set up," he said.

"Is that nerd envy I'm hearing?" Hunter asked,

Kali bit back an amused smile.

"Funny," said Cam, prodding Hunter's shoulder. "Can you tell me what he did to you?"

Hunter rolled his head to the side, eyeing the machine warily. "He used my Ranger energies to power that bike," he said, nodding at the vehicle hidden beneath a sheet.

Kali pulled it back and whistled. "Sweet ride!" she said, running her hand across the smooth exterior. "It's not my colour, but I wouldn't say no to this baby."

"I think he turned it into some kind of weapon," said Hunter.

Tapping a few keys, Cam considered the data that was presented to him on the computer screen. "He's only taken an imprint of your energy," he explained. "If we hadn't have got here when we did, it could've been much worse."

"Can you redirect the power?" Kali asked. "You know, feed Hunter back his energy the way Motodrome tried to steal it?"

"I can try," said Cam.

"What about the bike?" Hunter winced,

Cam turned to Kali.

"It would be a shame to destroy this beauty," said Kali. "I mean, I'm all for destroying the computer, but it would break my heart to destroy this in the process."

Cam shook his head, smiling in amusement. "You know it's not real, right?" he asked. "It's just a machine."

"Ah! Hold your tongue!" Kali scolded, covering the bike protectively, like a mother blocking her child's ears. "That's slander, Cameron."

Cam chuckled and turned his attention back to the computer system. "Fine. I'll try and save the bike," he said.

Kali grinned and nodded. "Good answer," she teased.

**~X~**

Tori sighed in relief as Kali stopped beside her. "Hey!" she said, straightening up with the black rangers help. "Everything okay?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Kali asked. She looked over at Dustin and Shane, as Cam appeared at her shoulder.

"Guess what," said Cam. "I made a few adjustments to Perry's bike. Pretty cool, huh?" he asked, nodding at the crimson and white bike that Hunter was riding.

Kali slapped his shoulder with the back of her hand. "Hey, don't steal all the credit," she said. "Originally, you were all for destroying it."

Cam shook his head. "Sorry. Kali convinced me to adjust Perry's bike," he said. He turned to the Black Ranger and nudged her with his elbow. "Better?"

"Better," said Kali, smiling.

Dustin shrugged. "I'm not big on street bikes but that thing is _sick_ " he said.

As Hunter destroyed the last of the Kelzaks, the others raced across the quarry to him. He looked them over, mentally counting the number of heads before looking around. "Where's Blake?" he asked.

"He went after Perry," said Tori.

Kali stiffened and then looked up. "Oh no," she gasped, pointing at a nearby clifftop. Standing precariously on the edge was Blake, his hand stretched out as he tried to diffuse whatever situation he was in.

Revving the engine of his bike, Hunter took off before anyone could stop him.

Tori grasped Kali's arm as Blake stepped backwards and started to fall. She screamed, causing those around her to wince, and then screamed again as Hunter rode straight off the cliff. Her fear quickly turned to relief as Hunter's bike changed mid-flight, transforming from a bike into a makeshift Glider and swooped downward, allowing Hunter to grab his brother's hand seconds before he could hit the ground.

Depositing Blake alongside the others, Hunter maneuverer his glider cycle back up to the cliff top to deal with Perry.

"We should get up there," said Blake. He turned to Kali.

Kali paused and looked around at the others. "Oh, now you want to teleport?" she asked. "What happened to 'never doing that again'?"

"I never said that," Dustin defended.

"Please?" Blake asked.

Kali huffed and held out her hands. She took hold of Blake and Tori, with the others forming a chain. " _ **Uthe Sasoray**_ ," she mumbled, disappearing in a wisp of black smoke.

**~X~**

"Oh, man, what happened?" Perry asked, coughing as Hunter helped him back to his feet. He looked a lot paler than usual, and his long, skinny frame was shaking from, what Kali couldn't only guess, was adrenaline and shock.

"You fell off your bike," said Blake, reaching Perry's other side and supporting him. He nodded at the others, indicating for them to go along with the story. It would sound more convincing if they all said the same thing, and Perry was more than likely to believe and confirm it, too.

"Oh, I can't remember anything," said Perry, blinking.

"You're okay now," said Tori, reassuringly.

"Oh, man, my head — I feel like I've been living a bad dream," said Perry, pressing the ball of his hand to his forehead.

Hunter nodded. "I can relate," he said, patting Perry's shoulder.

Perry shook his head and took two steps forward. He stopped and looked at Hunter and Blake. "Hey, wait a minute," he said, frowning at them. "In my dream, you guys were Power Rangers."

Kali shared a nervous look with Tori.

"Uh, yeah, right," said Blake, laughing nervously. "I mean, come on, who'd make this guy a Power Ranger?" he pointed at Hunter.

Hunter scoffed. "Hey! I'd make a great Ranger," he defended.

"Actually," said Perry, interrupting. He shook his head. "I can't imagine either of you as Rangers."

Kali laughed loudly and, stepping forward, nudged Hunter aside as she wound her arm around Perry's shoulders and led him away. "I like you," she said, smiling at him. "I'm going to keep you."

"Holy wow —" Perry breathed, staring at Kali as they walked away. "You're Kali Briar."

From the corner of her eye, Kali spotted the grin appear on Hunter's face. He knew, better than most, how much Kali hated being recognised for her Power Ranger stint in Briarwood, and how she usually turned people away when they recognised her for it.

Forcing a smile, Kali nodded at Perry. "Yep. You guessed it," she said. "Black Mystic Power Ranger. It's nice to meet you, Perry."

"Wow. I can't believe I'm talking to a real Power Ranger!" Perry gushed. "I've seen all the footage of you in Briarwood. You were amazing!"

Meeting Hunter's gaze, Kali grinned and nudged Perry's shoulder with her own. "I heard you made a street bike," she said. "I love street bikes. Mine is still in Briarwood, so I don't get to ride it as much as I would like to. Why don't you tell me about your creations while we head back into town?"

Grinning like an idiot, Perry followed Kali away, leaving Hunter to gape after them.

"What?" Hunter asked, looking to the others. "She hates being recognised as a Power Ranger, but she's lapping it up with him?"

"She's doing it to get under your skin," Tori laughed.

"And it's working," Blake agreed.

Hunter shook his head. "She's impossible!" he complained.


	21. Tori's Birthday, Part I

"Man, I am worked…" Dustin whined as he traipsed into Ninja Ops. The others followed behind him, each of them groaning or lagging.

"So am I," Blake agreed. "10-mile run, two fight simulations… and an obstacle course."

Hunter huffed as he pulled his gloves off with his teeth. "Don't forget two hours of hard meditation," he grumbled.

"In which Kali fell asleep," said Cam.

"Sue me. Meditation isn't a form of Mystic Training," Kali said, stretching. She moaned as her muscles popped and a sense of relief flooded her body.

Tori grinned and sat on the edge of the table.

"Even you look tired," said Dustin, clamping Shane on the shoulder. "Training finally getting to you?"

Shane shook his head as he reached up to rub his eyes. "I'm not getting a lot of sleep," he yawned. "I keep having this weird dream."

"You should pay attention to that," said Tori. "Sensei says your dreams can tell you a lot about yourself."

Cam nodded. "Speaking of Dad," he added, glancing towards his father's habitat. "Where is he?"

"A meditation retreat, if this note is anything to go by," said Kali. She was standing beside Sensei's hut, holding a slip of paper between her fingers.

"What?" Tori asked, crowding around the black ranger with the others.

"Are you serious?" Hunter asked.

Kali handed the note to Tori. "Yeah, he said that he need to recharge his inner Ninja - I'm guessing the whole switching bodies fiasco took it out of him more than we thought, and he's gone away to recharge," she explained. "In the meantime, he wants us to take the day off."

"But does that mean today or tomorrow?" Dustin asked. "Because, technically, today's almost over."

"It doesn't say how long he's going to be away," said Kali. "But I say we make the most of it while we can. What are you all planning?"

"Well, I'm thinking maybe, uh, the track then a movie or… a movie and then the track," Dustin said, trailing off.

Kali snorted and ruffled Dustin's hair. "You're lucky you're cute," she teased.

"You heading back to Briarwood?" Cam asked, nudging Kali.

Kali shrugged. "Unless something more entertaining is happening here, then yeah, I might," she said. "It be nice to walk the Mystic woods again. Check on things, you know?"

"And hang out at the Rock Porium?"

Kali smiled. She had missed hanging out at the Rock Porium, teasing Xander about not working, dancing it out on stage with Vida, and even a surprise ride around the city with Nick. Maddie and Chip were still in Summer Cove, so maybe she and the others could even go to the Elemental Academy for a visit.

"Hey, Tor, what's the matter?" Blake asked, noticing the sad look on the surfer's face. "Come on, don't tell me you can't deal with a day off."

"No, a day off is great, especially tomorrow," said Tori, grinning. "I just wish Sensei would be around for… you know?"

"What?" Hunter asked.

Kali cocked her head to the side. There was something she and the others were clearly missing, and it was enough to bring an excited, yet disappointing look to Tori's face.

"Oh, man! Are we stupid?" Shane gasped, tapping the side of his head.

"Do you really want an answer to that?" Kali quipped, the corner of her lips quirking upwards into a grin.

Shane shot her a look and then turned his attention back to Tori, wrapping an around her shoulders. "Cause tomorrow, it is your birthday!" he sang.

"Oh!" the others exclaimed.

"Hey, how about a beach party?" Dustin suggested.

"What do you say, Tor?" Blake asked.

Tori grinned. "Let's do it," she agreed. "Oh, and Kali, bring your friends from Briarwood. This way you can hang out with them, too."

"I'll call Nick," said Kali, fishing her phone out of her pocket. "In the meantime, I need to go shopping."

"What for?" Hunter asked.

Kali looked up from her phone. "Well, we can't very well turn up at a birthday party without a present, can we?" she said. "Don't worry, Tor, I won't go overboard, but it'll hopefully be something that you love."

"You really don't have to," Tori insisted.

"I know," said Kali.

"But you're going to?"

Kali grinned. "See you tomorrow, bright and early," she said.

"Hey, wait, you're not staying here tonight?" Cam asked.

"I was thinking of spending the night at Briarwood. You can come if you like?" Kali suggested.

Cam hesitated. He'd never been away from Ninja Ops for an overnight stay before and was uncertain about doing it now. Even with his father not being there, he felt safer in a place that he knew.

"Well, tell you what," said Kali. "Stay with these guys for the next few hours and then text me if you change your mind."

"Okay," said Cam.

Kali smiled. "Cool. As for the rest of you, I'll catch you tomorrow. Have fun," she winked and disappeared.

**~X~**

Kali adjusted her white sarong as Xander, and Nick set up the beach equipment. They had arrived at a secluded part of Blue Bay Harbour beach and set up protective enchantments to ward off any civilians that would interrupt their day off.

"The others are on their way," said Vida, passing through the enchantment and setting down a water cooler full of soda. "I just saw them arrive in the car park. Shane bailed, though."

"He did?" Kali asked. "Why?"

Vida shrugged. "Something about a bad dream and needing to check out the woods," she answered, flopping down onto her beach towel. She adjusted an inflatable pillow behind her head, lowered her sunglasses over her eyes and settled in for a long shift of sunbathing.

"You're going to bake," said Kali, reaching into her bag and dropping a bottle of sunscreen onto Vida's stomach. The Pink mystic squealed at the sudden coldness and lifted her glasses to glare at her friend.

Kali blew her a kiss and straightened up. She turned to the enchantments as she heard raised voices and spotted the Ninja team approaching.

"I'm sure Kali said around here," said Dustin, looking around. "But I don't see anything. Do you?" he turned to Cam.

Kali grinned at the others as she walked over to the barrier, stopping right behind Dustin. She bit her lip and reached out, grabbing the Yellow Ranger by the shoulders and hauling him backwards.

Dustin yelled in alarm and Kali burst out laughing.

"That was not cool," Dustin exclaimed, pulling away from Kali and spinning to face her. The others passed through the barrier, each one laughing at Dustin as he pouted.

"This is really cool," said Blake. "How did you manage to get a whole section of beach to yourselves?"

"We've been here early," said Xander. "The protective enchantments are the same ones that hide the Mystic Forest in Briarwood from the city, and they take hours to put up."

"Nice," said Hunter. He looked over his shoulder and saw the rest of the beach, along with other inhabitants. "So, we can see them…?"

"But they can't see us," said Nick. "This whole area, including about five miles that way -" he pointed in the opposite direction, "is cordoned off. We're alone, as long as we stay in the bubble."

"What about the sea?" Dustin asked, nodding at the crashing waves.

"Well, obviously, we can't cordon off the entire ocean," said Vida. "But, when Nick says 'bubble' he means, bubble, literally. Think of it as a dome, of sorts."

Dustin pursed his lips and looked out at the ocean. "So, we have part of the sand and sea to ourselves?"

"That's why it took us hours to set up," said Kali. She turned to Tori. "This is part of the gift we have for you. You can have the rest later."

"Remember when you said you wouldn't go overboard?" Tori asked.

"Bah-humbug," Kali said. "I don't do this for just anyone."

Tori smiled. "Thank you," she said.

"You're most welcome," said Kali.

**~X~**

Once everything had been set up, and the cake was stored in a cooler part of the beach, away from the baking rays of the sun, the two groups prepped themselves for a day of sea, sun, and fun, including games of both land and sea variety.

After changing into her beach shorts and t-shirts, Tori was unfolding her towel and setting it on the sand for later, while thoughts of Shane filled her head. She heaved a sigh and looked up at the others. "You guys, maybe we should've gone with Shane," she suggested.

"Why, because he had a nightmare?" Hunter asked, pulling his shirt off.

"I dunno," said Dustin, applying sunblock to his arms. "He did seem pretty tweaked."

"If he had wanted us to go with him then he would've asked," said Kali, tying her hair back into a high ponytail. "Besides, he's right in the middle of the mystic realm in the woods, Phineas covers a lot of territory with Mystic patrols, and he and Leelee come this far North on many occasions, if they see Shane is struggling, they'll contact Root core."

"She's right," said Nick, removing his own shirt. "Plus, these enchantments keep out civilians, not magic - Mystic or otherwise - Shane can still contact you on your morpher, if he needs, too."

Blake grinned and approached Tori. "In other words, stop worrying," he said. "This is a party, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," said Tori, still unconvinced.

"Hey, would it put your mind at ease if I contacted Leelee and asked her bring a patrol here to check the woods?" Kali asked.

Tori hesitated, but as her eyes met Kali's, she bit her lip and nodded, shyly.

"Consider it done," said Kali, reaching into her beach bag and fishing out her mystic morpher. She fired off a message to Root core, waited for its reply, and then showed it to Tori. "Rune says she'll take a scout immediately."

Tori smiled. "Thanks," she murmured.

"Great. Now, I need help," said Kali, tossing her morpher back into her bag and bunching her sarong at her waist and lifting it over her head, revealing a two-piece black and white bikini. The bottoms tied at her hips, while the top fastened behind her back and tied around her neck.

Xander whistled, earning himself a dark look from Nick.

"Damn, Briar," Hunter muttered.

"I know what you mean," said Xander, nodding. "I definitely lucked out."

"I can hear you," said Kali, glaring at them both.

The pair blushed and dispersed as Kali tossed a bottle of sunscreen at Nick. "Help," she said, rolling onto her stomach.

"Is that a tattoo?" Vida asked, poking the area at the top of Kali's rib.

Kali shrieked and pulled away from Vida. "Ticklish!" she laughed.

"You didn't say you had a tattoo," said Vida, lowering her glasses to get a better look.

Kali shrugged. "You never asked," she said, settling back onto her stomach so Nick could rub sunscreen into her back. She shivered at the coldness and felt goosebumps ripple across her skin.

"What is it?" Vida asked.

"It's a Delta triangle," said Kali, shivering as Nick's hands warmed the goosebumps on her shoulders. "It's signifies change. I got it after I left juvie and learned that Joe had gone missing while I was inside. I made a promise to myself and to Joe that I would do better, that I would _be_ better. I like to think that I've stuck to that promise."

Vida smiled and lay back on her towel. "Why did you have it there, though?" she asked. "I mean, aren't tattoos meant to be seen?"

"Not always," said Kali, shaking her head. Nick had finished plastering her back and she was now able to sit up and apply sunscreen to her arms, legs, and chest. "Sometimes they're personal, and only there for the person who gets them."

"But you can't see it," said Vida. "Unless, of course, you're not wearing anything."

Kali rolled her eyes. "I don't need to see it," she said. "I just need to remember it."

"How long have you had it?" Tori asked, wandering over. She sat, cross-legged in front of Kali.

"Almost three years."

"So, you were sixteen?"

Kali nodded. "I had to travel to Florida to get it because it's against the law for a minor to get any form of body modifications in Sacramento, but I digress."

"It's the same here," said Tori. "You can't even have parents' consent."

"Or a fake ID," said Vida.

Kali rolled her eyes. "I was only just out of juvie for stealing and joyriding," she said. "I wasn't about to head back in because I'd broken the law to get a tattoo. That's why I went to Florida. I was told they didn't have an age limit."

"And did they?"

"Obviously not," said Kali. "Anyone caught performing body mods on a minor is penalised with a misdemeanour."

Vida shrugged. "Fair point. I'd love a tattoo," she said. "But mum and dad would kill me."

"You're almost eighteen," said Kali.

"They'd still kill me."

Kali smiled and shook her head. "What about you, Tor?" she asked. "Any chances of seeing ink on your skin someday?"

Tori shrugged. "If I can be persuaded enough, maybe," she said.

"Is that a challenge?" Kali asked, grinning.

Tori laughed. "Guess that depends on you," she teased.

"I hope Blake doesn't see you flirting with me," Kali teased. She laughed as Tori blushed a deep crimson. "He may get jealous."

"What about Nick?" Vida asked. "He's only just got you, after so many years of trying, won't he get jealous of you flirting with Tori?"

"Nick knows where my loyalties lie," said Kali. "Besides, I've flirted with girls before and nothing has come of it."

"Seriously?" Tori and Vida asked, stunned.

Kali laughed and tossed the sunscreen bottle at Tori. "What?" she asked, laying back on her towel. "I never said I was heterosexual, you lot just assumed it because of all the guys I've dated."

Tori and Vida shared a look as Kali grinned to herself, lowering her sunglasses and feeling the sun's rays warm her body.

**~X~**

Tori shrieked as Blake scooped her up and tossed her into the sea, Vida and Kali followed as Nick and Xander did the same, only Kali wound her arms so tightly around Nick that she pulled him in with her.

"Ha!" Kali laughed, rolling away from Nick as he released her. She jumped to her feet and ran deeper into the water, stopping as it lapped at her waist. It felt cool against her burning skin, and she couldn't help but sigh slightly in relief.

"Gotcha!" Xander announced, scooping water into his hands and splashing it towards Kali. She held her hands out to protect herself, but it did very little as the water still hit her chest and neck, while the waves crashed against her, spraying water all over her back.

Glancing around, Kali noticed Hunter closing in from behind while Xander and Nick boxed her in front the sides. The three of them had a look of mischief in their eyes.

"No," Kali warned, looking around for assistance. Tori and Vida were making their way out of the surf and were too far away to be of any help, while Cam, Dustin and Blake, were still watching from the beach.

Once they were close enough, Hunter and Xander lunged and crashed into one another as Kali side-stepped. She laughed before realising Nick had disappeared. A shriek escaped her lips as she felt hands grab her legs beneath the surf, and Nick broke the surface, lifting her up and tossing her backwards into the waves.

"Tell me again why I chose you," said Kali, resurfacing and pushing her wet hair from her face. She glowered at Nick as he laughed and encircled her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and kissed her shoulder.

"Because you love me," said Nick.

Kali rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder why," she muttered.

"Hey, guys, we've got a situation," Vida called from the shore. She was waving them in and pointing over to where Cam, Dustin, Tori, and Blake had gathered. Hunter and Xander were already wading out of the sea, while Kali and Nick broke apart and followed them.

As they reached the others, Kali noticed that Cam was on communicating with Cyber Cam via his amulet.

" _No can do. Whatever that spaceship is, it_ _'s interfering with Shane's morpher,"_ said Cyber Cam.

"Cyber Cam, any signs of Mystic readings in the forest?" Kali asked. "A patrol set out a few hours ago."

" _I haven_ _'t been able to pick up any signals,_ " said Cyber Cam. " _It could be the same reason I can_ _'t contact Shane._ "

Kali nodded and made her way over to her beach bag. She removed her mystic morpher for the third time that day, and snapped it open to call Rune. The morpher chimed and chimed and chimed, before chiming off, looking up, Kali shook her head as she met the others' gazes, signalling that she couldn't get through

"Keep trying. I'm on my way," said Cam.

" _Yo._ "

The communication ended and Cam turned to face his friends.

"You're going back?" Tori asked, disheartened.

"Only until I figure out what's going on," said Cam, reassuringly. "With Dad out of town, I just feel better checking things out myself."

"We'll go with you," said Hunter.

Cam shook his head. "No, stay. There's nothing we can do until we know what we're dealing with," he said.

The others shared a look. They all wanted to be sure that Shane was safe and that the alien in the forest wasn't a threat, but Cam was right about there being nothing they could do with the little that they had to go on. There was no point in ruining their day further by returning to Ops and lingering around waiting for something to happen.

"Well, maybe it's a good alien," said Dustin. "I mean, no one ever considers that possibility."

"He's got a point," said Vida. "It could be another Matoombo or Itassis."

Kali took a deep breath and rubbed her hands over her arms. She had an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach, and while she wished that it could be another Matoombo situation, but her gut was telling her that it wasn't. However, the look on Tori's face was enough for her to keep her speculations to herself.

"Hey, don't let this get you down, okay?" Blake said, picking up a rubber duck floaty and placing it on Tori's head.

"Yeah," said Xander, picking up a water pistol. "We can still have fun." He turned to Kali and pulled the trigger but hit Hunter in the face as Kali stepped backward, out of the spray.

Tori cracked a smile. "You're right," she said, heaving a heavy sigh. "I guess the day is not completely ruined."

**~X~**

No less than an hour after he had left, Kali was accepting a call from Cam while she sunbathed on the beach next to Vida, and the others were messing around a little further down the beach.

"I swear, if you're calling to say there's an alien attacking the city, I'm going to kick ass," said Kali, sitting up. "Tori's birthday was supposed to be a fun-filled day with no monsters or aliens."

" _I know, and I wouldn_ _'t do this if it wasn't a proper emergency,_ " said Cam. _"But we have a problem."_

Kali sighed and glanced at Vida.

"I'll get the others," said Vida, standing up and headed down the beach to where the others were helping Tori bury Xander up to his neck in the sand.

"What's happening?" Kali asked.

" _As long as that ship remains cloaked_ _…"_

" _I have no way of tracking it,"_ chimed Cyber Cam.

Kali smiled. Cyber Cam had become a dear member of the team, granted he had his hiccups in the beginning, and sometimes overstepped his place, but he was still an asset that the team needed without being bogged down with technical difficulties that prevented Cam from fulfilling his Ranger duties.

"Any word from Shane?" Kali asked.

" _His frequency is still jammed_ _…_ "

" _He must be close to the source of the of the disturbance,_ _"_ said Cyber Cam.

Kali laughed as she imagined the annoyance Cam must've been feeling. Cyber Cam may not have been a real brother, but he was just as annoying as one.

"What about the Mystic Patrol?"

" _I_ _'ve been in contact with Root core,_ " said Cam. " _But they can_ _'t get through to anyone, either. Rune and the others must be close to the disturbance, too._ "

"Unless they passed through Cimmerian forest," said Kali. She looked up as several shadows fell over her, indicating that they others had returned. "Keep trying to establish contact, we'll be there as soon as we can."

" _Got it._ "

Cam ended the connection, and Kali dropped her arm. She met Tori's gaze and tried to force a smile.

"Birthday or not," said Tori, shaking her head. "I agree with Kali, we better get back."

"Yeah, let's get out of here before some Kelzaks show up," said Dustin.

Blake groaned and the others turned to see what his problem was. "You had to say it, didn't you?" he asked, pointing towards the rocks where a handful of Kelzaks were scurrying alone the shoreline. It seemed that they were looking for something.

"I thought you said we were protected here?" Hunter asked Kali.

"From civilians," said Kali. "Kelzaks have magic, albeit not a lot of magic, but enough to be considered magical. The barrier wouldn't stop them from getting through."

"We better see what they're up to," said Vida.

The others nodded and headed off to investigate.

**~X~**

Peering around a rock, the two Ranger teams spotted Marah and Kapri ordering the Kelzaks around. They seemed to be preparing for a party of some kind, but what kind the Rangers could only guess.

"You know, this party may not be a total disaster after all," said Kapri, hi-fiving her sister.

"We'll see about that," said Kali, nodding at the others. They stepped out into the open, in perfect view of the two sisters.

"Hey!" Blake called. "If an alien freak throws a party and nobody shows up, is it still a party?"

Kapri groaned. "Aw man, I hate it when they do that!" she whined. "Come on," she added, slapping Marah's shoulder.

"Yeah, hang on a sec, I'm trying to figure it out," said Marah, looking thoughtful.

Kali scoffed as the others laughed.

"If an alien freak throws a party…" Marah thought aloud.

Kapri rolled her eyes. "Would you come on!" she insisted, pinching her sister's arm and dragging her aside. "Hey, Kelzaks!" she added, ordering the foot soldiers forward.

"Let's make this quick," said Kali.

The others nodded and split up.

Blocking a Kelzaks arm, Kali raised it above her head and leapt into the air, kicking the creature in the chest. It fell backwards and disappeared, as a second tried to sneak up behind Kali and raised a deck chair over its head. Kali turned and raised her arms, catching the front kegs of the chair and throwing it back. The Kelzak stumbled and lost its footing, landing in the wet sand with a thud as the chair landed on top of him.

" _Guys, we have a bigger problem,_ _"_ said Cam, his voice echoing throughout the fight as five morphers chimed, simultaneously. " _Zurgane is taking a new Zord for a test drive, and I can_ _'t access the Thunder Zords portals."_

"Hey Tor, you up for a two-way?" Dustin asked.

"Oh yeah," said Tori. "No one ruins my birthday."

Kali flipped backwards to avoid being hit and turned to her friends as she deflected the Kelzaks that followed her. "Xander, Vida, go with them," she called to her friends. "You may not be able to form a Megazord, but your titan forms could come in handy."

"Got it," Xander and Vida called.

"We'll stay here and take care of this mess," said Hunter.

The others nodded.

"Ready?" Kali asked, taking the lead.

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Earth! Power of Water!"

"Thunder Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Thunder!"

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Darkness!"

"Magical Source, Mystic Force! Pink Mystic Ranger! Green Mystic Ranger! Red Mystic Ranger!"

Tori nodded at Dustin, Xander, and Vida and the four of them took off, passing through the barrier and disappearing from sight. Turning back to the Kelzaks, Kali drew her sword from over her shoulder and wielded it between her hands.

"Let's make this quick," said Nick, drawing his Magi Staff.

The Thunders nodded their agreement and split off from the couple. It didn't take long to finish off the remaining Kelzaks, and once they had all been destroyed, the foursome turned on Marah and Kapri, boxing the pair in from all sides.

Whining, the two sisters disappeared, leaving the four Rangers alone on the deserted stretch of beach.

"Power down!" said Kali, relinquishing her morph.

The others followed suit.

"Sensei picked a bad day to take off," said Blake, as Hunter stooped down to pick up a bunch of dead flowers.

"Your Sensei's not around?" Nick asked. He turned to Kali for an explanation.

"We had an incident," Kali answered. "He needed to recharge his inner Ninja and headed off somewhere quiet to meditate. He gave us the day off," she added, quickly. "So, it's not like we're shirking around responsibilities. We just don't have an authority figure to help us, right now."

"We should get back to Ops," Hunter suggested, tossing aside the dead flowers. "See if the others are okay."

The others nodded.

**~X~**

After changing back into her ninja clothes, Kali returned to Ops as Cam explained the situation with the Zords. They had taken a beating from Zurgane's latest Zord creation, but they were back in their hangers and undergoing a thorough check up by Cyber Cam.

"How long is it going to take to fix them?" Xander asked. He was sitting on the table beside Vida and Nick, listening with keen interest.

"It could take a few hours," said Cam. "Maybe a few days. I can't say for sure. Cyber Cam is working as fast as he can."

"What about the Thunder Zords?" Hunter asked.

"No luck accessing them yet," Cam sighed.

Kali heaved a sigh and knelt beside Nick at the table. She glanced behind her as Blake wandered into Ops, followed closely by Dustin and Tori.

"Some day off," Blake whined, running a hand through his hair.

"This must be the worst birthday ever," said Dustin, wrapping an arm around Tori.

"I can't even think about that right now," said Tori, shaking her head. "Not when I have this really bad feeling that Shane is in trouble."

"I didn't want to say anything earlier," said Kali. "But I agree."

Tori looked surprised. "Why didn't you say anything?" she asked.

"Because I didn't want to ruin your birthday," said Kali. "Today was supposed to be special, Tor, and we all deserved a day off. But I agree with your bad feeling because I have one of my own. It's like my gut is trying to tell me that something isn't right."

"What about the Hellhound?" Cam asked. "Does it sense anything?"

Kali shook her head. "I haven't been able to sense anything through the Hellhound since Cyber Cam called about being unable to contact Shane, and I don't think being able to contact the Mystic Patrols is a coincidence either. Whatever is out there, is blocking more than just Shane's morpher, it's cutting me off from the Mystic Realm, too."

"I'll call Mum and Dad," said Nick, getting up from the table. "Maybe they'll have an idea what's going on."

"You could try calling Eithne," Vida suggested.

"I already have," said Kali. "She told me to sit tight and she'd get back in touch with me as soon as possible."

The team sighed. Now they _all_ had a bad feeling that something wasn't right.

* * *

**I am not 100% sure what the age restrictions are on tattoos in the states. I googled it, and Google told me that Florida didn't have a limit. If I am wrong, I apologise.**


	22. Tori's Birthday, Part II

"What are the chances of our things still being hidden?" Hunter asked Kali. They were walking along the shore, the water lapping at their feet.

"Next to none," said Kali. "The enchantments, while a direct link to the ones that hide the Mystic Realm from the real world, aren't as strong."

"You mean to say outsiders could stumble across our stuff?" Dustin asked.

Kali nodded. "I mean, we're within the boundary line of the enchantments," she explained. "It's just finding the exact place that we settled."

The others nodded and continued their walk. They weren't entirely sure where they settled down earlier, but they knew that that they had been near the rocks.

"Look at that swell!" Tori whined, pointing out into the ocean. "I haven't seen waves like this for weeks."

"Yeah, I was hoping to get some surfing in today," Xander agreed.

Kali grinned. "Watching you get torn apart by the birthday girl would've been a highlight," she teased.

Xander rolled his eyes. "I was looking forward to some downtime outside of surfing, I'll have you," he said, nudging Kali back.

The others nodded in agreement.

"Whoa, Whoa, wait a minute," said Blake, turning in a circle. "I don't want to sound paranoid here, but wasn't this where we left our stuff?"

Kali furrowed her brow and looked around. She the strip of beach looked exactly the same as the one they had just walked, but they were a lot closer to the rocks than they had been a few minutes before. Casting her gaze skyward, Kali considered the clouds, frowning as seagulls cawed and flew overhead without so much as a problem.

"What's up?" Hunter asked, noticing her distraction.

"The barrier," said Kali, looking around, her gaze squinting against the sun's rays. "It's lowered. But... I don't understand. I know it was losing its potency because we've been away, but I thought it would last longer than one hour."

Dustin sighed and grabbed his head. "I can't believe our gear got jacked!" he whined. "This reeks!"

"What if it just got washed out with the tide or something?" Blake asked, trying to be optimistic.

"The tide hasn't even come in yet," Tori and Xander said.

Blake groaned.

"So where is it then?" Hunter asked.

"There!" said Vida, pointing towards where Choobo and a group of Kelzaks were scurrying around the rocks, carrying not only their belongings but Tori's birthday cake, also.

Tori clenched her jaw. "That is the last straw," she said. "Nobody steals my birthday cake! Come on."

The group took off, stopping short as they watched the kelzaks play around with their equipment, and even, in Tori, Kali, and Vida's cases, try on their clothes.

"This is wrong on so many levels," said Dustin.

"Tori, promise me you'll never wear that bikini every again," said Blake, as a Kelzak modelled a two-piece blue bikini.

Kali clenched her fist as a second Kelzak held up a black two-piece bikini that she had bought from Victoria Secret. It had cost her almost an arm and a leg to pay for, and now, if she weren't careful, she would need to burn it.

"Give us back our stuff!" Hunter yelled.

"Make me," said Choobo.

"Okay!" said Xander.

Dashing forward, Kali jumped over three swarming Kelzaks and landed beside the one that was rifling through her belongings. "Hey, hands off!" she yelled, ripping the bikini from its grasp and catching its wrist as it reached for her, she leapt into the air and kicked the Kelzak in the side, knocking it backward into a plastic chair.

The chair toppled over and the Kelzak hit the ground with a thud.

"Kali, duck!" Nick called.

Eye's wide, Kali hit the deck as Nick launched a beach ball at her. It sailed overhead and smacked an oncoming Kelzak that she hadn't seen in the head, causing it to stumble back, squawking.

"Anything missing?" Nick asked.

Kali checked her bag and shook her head. "Nope. I may need to triple wash this," she held up the bikini top before stuffing it back into her bag, "before I'm satisfied it's not contaminated, but otherwise, I'm good."

"We could just buy you a new one," Nick offered.

Kali quirked a brow. "You want to go into a Victoria Secrets store and watch me try on swimwear?" she asked.

"That would be a dream come true for men everywhere," said Xander.

"You shut up," said Kali.

Xander chuckled and retrieved his belongings. Once the others had done the same, the group headed back across the beach.

"We kind of killed your cake," said Hunter to Tori.

"Let's just get back to Ninja Ops before anything else can go wrong," said Tori, shaking her head. She rolled the strap of her beach bag onto her arm and shrugged it up onto her shoulder, cocking her head to the side as Dustin spread a clear lotion over his arms, shoulders and face. "What's that? Sunblock?"

Dustin shook his head. "Just the opposite," he answered. "Cyber Cam gave me this new sunless tanning lotion."

"You sure you want to use that much?" Vida asked, curiously.

"Oh, yeah. I'm going to be a bronze god!" Dustin whooped, recapping the lotion and striding away.

Kali scoffed and glanced at Tori. "Remember the saying 'bad things happen in three's'?" she asked.

Tori nodded.

"I think we're watching number three's work-in-progress," said Kali. "I spend almost every hour of every day with Cam. I know when he upgrades Cyber Cam, and the last upgrade he had was on how to use the toaster without burning down Ninja Ops. Health and Safety for the outside world? Not in his programming."

"It's going to be bad, isn't it?" Tori asked.

Vida, however, was grinning. "Are you kidding?" she laughed. "This is going to be epic!"

"Tell that to Dustin when he realises that he's just been conned," said Kali, shaking her head.

**~X~**

The second the Rangers returned to Ninja Ops did Cam announce that Zurgane was back and taking his Zord for another test drive.

"Is the Megazord fixed?" Tori asked.

"Surprisingly, yes," said Cam. "For something that should've taken two days, it took less than two hours."

Kali looked impressed. "Maybe you should upgrade Cyber Cam more often," she said.

"Haha," Cam said.

"What about the Thunder Zords?" Hunter asked.

Cam shook his head. "The energy field in the forest is weakening," he explained. "I should be able to call them any second. Kali, unfortunately, I'm nowhere near bonding the new Hellhound Zord with your Ninja powers, so you will have to remain here during the battle. Unless…"

"I know," said Kali, nodding.

Cam forced a smile and Kali squeezed his shoulder. He was doing everything possible to bind his new creation to her Ninja disk, but it was proving troublesome given her Ninja Morpher was infused with magic and not technology.

"We'll meet you out there," said Hunter to Dustin and Tori.

The pair nodded and stepped back, falling into formation. "Ninja Storm, Ranger Form!" they echoed.

Kali turned to Nick, Xander, and Vida. "You guys can still morph into titan mode," she said. "You can be called upon to help."

"So, can you," said Vida. "You have your Mystic Morpher, and you're still a Mystic despite being with them -" she nodded at the trio left. "You still have a titan form."

But Kali shook her head. She had already discussed this with Cam and felt that she would be being disloyal to her current team if she kept morphin' into the Black Mystic Ranger to use her titan mode during battles. Plus, she didn't want the citizens of Blue Bay Harbour to think that their Ranger team needed outside help to defeat Lothor.

"I got it," said Cam. "Thunder Megazord is online."

"Let's go," said Hunter.

Blake nodded and fell back alongside his brother.

"Thunder Storm, Ranger Form!"

Kali watched as the brother Ninja-streaked from Ops and turned her attention back to Cam and the computer. "Any sign of Shane and the Mystic patrol?" she asked.

"Not yet," said Cam, shaking his head. He indicated to the computer. "I'm running two separate searches. One on Shane's morpher and the other for any signs of water magic. I haven't found anything yet."

Kali swallowed. She had tried contacting Rune several times throughout the day, but it was no use. Whatever was out in the forest was blocking any magical signals getting through.

"I have to go," said Cam, spinning around in his seat. The notion surprised Nick, Xander, and Vida, but Kali merely slid into the computer chair once Cam had vacated it. "Keep an eye on the forest, and call if anything comes back."

"I'll bring in Cyber Cam if I see anything," said Kali.

Cam nodded and pulled his amulet from around his neck. "Samurai Storm, Ranger Form!" he yelled and took off himself.

The three Mystic's shared a look and turned back to Kali.

"You're gelling really well with this lot," said Vida. "Should we be worried?"

Kali smirked in amusement. "What? Afraid that I'm going to ditch you once this is over?" she asked.

"You see to be having a load of fun here," said Xander. "We're concerned that you'll want to stay when it's done."

"I think your worry is misplaced," said Kali. "Even if I wanted to stay here, which I don't, I couldn't. I'm a guardian of the Mystic Realm, and my powers are stronger in Briarwood. Besides, I spent nineteen-years of my life searching for my family, I'm not about to up and leave them because I have new friends across the state."

Nick smiled.

Drawing her knees up to her chest, Kali rested the heels of her feet on the edge of Cam's chair and leaned forward slightly. She slid her fingers across the touch pad of Cam's computer and zoomed in on the forest search, her eyes staring at the aerial view for any signs of Rune or the Mystic Patrol.

"Is that…?" Vida asked, pointing a flicker on the edge of the screen.

Kali quickly moved the cursor over and double-clicked, magnifying the area by ten. Her eyes widened and she jumped from the chair, calling for Cyber Cam.

"Yo!" Cyber Cam greeted as he appeared. "What up'?"

"Keep an eye on the others," said Kali. "We've got contact in the forest. Send them to my location once they're finished with Zurgane."

Cyber Cam nodded and took his place in front of the computer, as Kali and the mystic's raced from Ops.

**~X~**

Rune Tessler groaned as she staggered to her feet. She, and her patrol had been jumped by an alien being she recognised as Vexacus; a vicious bounty hunter from a far of galaxy that hunted Powerful beings known as Carmanians. Rune had sensed that a carmanian had come to Earth, long before Kali had called and asked for a fourth patrol to check the forest for any signs. But, to say that Rune was surprised to find current Red Ninja Ranger, Shane Clarke with the being, would've been an understatement.

Rune was even more surprised when the Carmanian had passed on her life force to Shane, much to Vexacus' displeasure. The bounty Hunter had attacked, and Rune had got between them in hopes of diverting Vexacus' attention away from the grieving Ranger. It hadn't gone as planned, and she had been severely injured.

With Skyla now gone, Shane had morphed and took on Vexacus, chasing him down as he tried to flee. Meanwhile, Rune had returned to her patrol, collapsing to her knees not that far away from where they had fallen.

"Rune!"

Rune looked up at the sound of her name.

"Rune, where are you?"

Rune sighed in relief at the sound of voice. It was Kali Briar, Hellhound guardian of the Mystic Realm. "Kali, over here!" she called out, her voice strained and tired.

Kali, Nick, Vida, and Xander burst out of the trees. They took one look around, and each split up to check on each member of the patrol. Kali raced across the clearing and kneeled beside Rune, catching her as she stumbled sideways.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," said Kali, holding the elder up. "I got it. What happened?"

Rune shook her head. "I think you're needed in that direction," she said, nodding towards where Shane and Vexacus had disappeared.

"I'm needed right here," said Kali, shaking her head. She looked around at the others, each of whom were helping a patrol member to their feet. "Ops isn't that far from here. You can rest up there before heading back to Root core, plus, Sensei may have some idea what happened."

"I know what happened," said Rune. "But rest shall be good before we head back."

"Like you had a choice in the situation," Kali muttered. She pulled Rune's arm over her shoulder, wrapped her own around the Elder's waist, and hauled her up, supporting most of her weight against herself and half-carried, half-walked her back to Ops.

**~X~**

Later that evening, the Mystic Patrol had returned to Root core with news on Vexacus', while the Ninja Rangers and the friends stayed at Ops. The two teams were still marvelling over Shane's new Battelizer mode - although, in secret, Kali reassured Nick that his combination with Fireheart was hotter - but Shane still looked bummed out that he had lost someone special.

"You miss her, don't you?" Kali asked, sitting opposite Shane at the table.

Shane nodded.

"She will always be with you, Shane," said Sensei. He had returned a few hours ago from his retreat and was both stunned and impressed by what the Rangers had dealt with in his absence. "Her power lives through you for all eternity."

"Thanks, Sensei," said Shane with a smile. The idea that Skyla was still with him, even if it wasn't physically, was enough. He'd lived this long without even known her, but now she would always be in his heart and his mind.

"But can we talk about the Battelizer?" Hunter asked, wandering over. He grunted as Kali threw a pillow at him. "What was that for?"

"Being insensitive," said Kali. "Let him grieve. You can talk about your silly toys tomorrow."

"Toys?" Hunter echoed.

"Silly?" Shane gasped.

Kali rolled her eyes and stood from the table. She batted the pillow that Hunter and thrown back at her, aside, and strode over to where Tori was standing with Vida. "Hey, sorry about today," she said.

"You didn't orchestrate this whole thing," said Tori, smiling. "Besides, there'll be more, right?"

"Unless we all die tomorrow," said Hunter.

"I swear to God," Kali cried turning to glare at him.

Tori and the others laughed.

"The day's not over yet!" Dustin called, walking into Ops carrying a small, round cake with white and blue frosting shaped into waves, while a small figurine that resembled Tori to the 'T' rode them as the centrepiece.

Kali snorted as the flames of the eighteen candles reflected off Dustin's skin. The only part of him that wasn't tanned was the area round his eyes, across the bridge of his nose, and up to his ears where his glasses had been.

"Well, well, if it isn't the orange ranger," Tori teased.

"Ha, yeah," said Dustin, sarcastically as the others laughed at his misfortune. "Cyber Cam is going to be Cyber toast next time I see him."

"What are you waiting for?" Xander asked, clapping Tori on the shoulder. "Make a wish!"

Tori grinned and blew out the candles.

* * *

**Just so that no one is confused – Rune Tessler and Rune Winters are not the same character.**

**Rune Tessler is the former Water Mystic before Maddie, whereas Rune Winters is the Silver Samurai Ranger that I will be writing about in the near future.**

**Rune Winters is also not related to Kali, and therefore is not a sequel to her. She does, however, fall within the Hellhound's universe.**


	23. Shimazu Returns, Part I

The Rock Porium was bumping as Kali stepped through its doors early that morning. She smiled as she found Vida and Matoombo shaking it out on stage and winked at her pink-haired friend as they caught one another's gaze from across the room.

"Hey, you're here!" Xander exclaimed, stepping out from behind the counter and hugging Kali.

It had been almost a month since Tori's birthday, and in that month Kali had barely been home. Her correspondences with the former Mystic team had been few and far between, given she had Ninja training, Ranger duties, and Lothor to worry about back in Blue Bay Harbour. But today she had the morning off, and unless Lothor attacked again, she was free to spend it however she pleased.

"Yeah. Things are slow in Blue Bay, and Sensei's given us the morning off," said Kali. "Plus, I have something for V." She took out a folded-up piece of paper from her inside pocket, unfolded it, and showed it Xander.

"Totally Talented," Xander read, his eyes widening. "No way, for real?"

Kali nodded. "Hunter and Blake just stopped by Storm Charges with a leaflet and started gloating about how they were trying out next week. I don't know what they're doing, but it started a chain reaction with the others. Dustin is practicing his Saxophone, Shane, apparently, can sing, and Tori is doing a dance routine. I figured Vida could show her DJing skills."

"What about Cam?" Xander asked.

"I dunno. Aside from being a total computer genius, I don't think he has any secret talents."

Xander shrugged. "What about you?" he asked.

Kali shook her head.

"I find that hard to believe," said Xander. "I've seen you dance with V."

"That's just fooling around. Besides, I entered a dance competition when I was thirteen, and I got so scared that I was almost sick," Kali explained. "The only reason I got through it, is because Nick jumped up on stage and danced with me."

"That's cute."

Kali rolled her eyes. "After that day, I swore I would never do anything in front of an audience again," she said.

"We talking about the dance recital of 1990?" Nick asked, appearing behind Kali. She jumped and spun around, hand over her heart and eyes narrowed at him.

Nick laughed. "You're awful jumpy, Hellhound," he teased. "I thought you could sense when Magic was near?"

"Dark magic," Kali corrected. "Unless you've possessed again, I don't see why you would have dark magic."

"What? Scared that someone may steal your thunder in that category?"

Kali shook her head. "No. But yes, we were talking about my first and last dance recital," she said. "I was telling Xander that I never would've made it through if it wasn't for you."

Nick shrugged. "You looked a little green," he said. "I figured I'd come to your rescue."

"My hero," Kali teased.

Nick chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Given how mortified you were that day, why are you talking about it now?" he asked.

Kali handed him the Totally Talented flyer. "I'm wondering if V wants to enter," she said. "They're looking for new participants. The other Ninja Rangers, apart from Cam, are entering. I haven't seen any of them perform, and I know Vida rocks the house."

"Why thank you," Vida said, approaching. Matoombo followed behind, the top of his head brushing the ceiling of the shop. "Where have you been? We thought something had happened, especially when our texts were going unread."

Kali cracked her neck. "Sorry, training has been hell," she said. "I can't really explain it, but it feels like something is going to happen soon. I mean, the air literally feels like it's swelling and preparing to explode."

"Could your time as a Ninja Ranger be winding down?" Nick asked.

"I don't know," said Kali. "It could be. But it only feels like we've just started, you know?"

Her friends nodded.

"It be good to have you back, though," said Vida. "When you first left, I thought Toby was going to cry. I mean, not only did you leave, but so did Maddie and Chip. He went from six employees to three in a matter of days."

Kali furrowed her brow and turned to Xander. "I thought you were training new people the day after our last battle?" she asked.

"I was, but not everyone is as accepting of the Mystic Realm as we initially thought," said Xander. "On his second day, Finn almost had a breakdown because some girls were teasing him for having fins."

"Finn. Finn?" Kali muttered. "Wait, you mean Finn from the swamplands?"

Xander nodded. "He's pretty shy and quiet, anyway, but these girls were being ruthless. I asked them to leave, and they said they'd complain to the Manager."

"But you _are_ the manager."

"I told them that, too, and they started ranting about how Swamp-Men don't belong in their world."

Kali rolled her eyes.

"It was kind of a relief that you weren't here," said Vida. "I don't think you would've handled it so easily."

"Yeah, diplomacy was never exactly my forte," said Kali.

The others chuckled.

"Where is Finn?" Kali asked.

"He quit," said Xander. "I tried to convince him to stay, but he thought it would be best if he just went back to the swamp."

Kali huffed.

"Poor guy," said Vida.

Kali nodded. She felt guilty for not being around more often. As a guardian of the Mystic Realm, it was her duty to make sure that its people were protected at all costs. To hear that someone from her realm was being picked on by people from the human realm angered her greatly.

"Before you go blaming yourself," said Nick, winding an arm around her shoulders. "There was nothing you could've done. Finn knows he is different, and he made the choice to protect himself by getting out of the situation."

"But he shouldn't have had to quit!" Kali said. "The whole point of reuniting the worlds was to break down barriers like this. Phineas and Nikki are accepted in our world, so are most creatures. Why not Finn? Because he has gills? That's bullshit. There are literal fairies walking around with their wings on display, but he gets discriminated against because he's got _gills_?"

Nick, Vida, and Xander shared a look. This was exactly why they were glad that Kali wasn't around most of the time.

"Speaking of fairies," said Vida, casting a glance over Kali's head.

Kali frowned and glanced around. A young fairy girl had just entered the shop. She was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, and a hoodie with two swords crisscrossed across the middle, and the words - _GamerGirl18_ \- highlighted across the blades. She had long black hair with blue streaks, a small face with wire-trimmed light glasses, and looked to be around 5'3 and a light frame.

"Lorna!" Xander exclaimed, dashing forward.

"Who?" Kali asked Vida and Nick.

"New girlfriend."

Kali's raised a brow. "Poor girl," she muttered.

Vida laughed. "If I remember correctly, you were almost that 'poor girl'," she teased.

Kali shoved her friend.

"Anyway, I actually think almost being committed to you changed Xander's perspective," Vida continued. "He's been seeing Lorna for about two months now. Things are getting serious."

"Two months?" Kali asked. "That means he was seeing her during Tori's birthday?"

Vida nodded.

"Why didn't he say anything?" Kali asked. "She could've joined the celebrations."

"I don't think he wanted to jinx it," said Vida, honestly. "Besides, we only met her a few days ago," she motioned to herself, Nick, and Matoombo. "I'm actually surprised he managed to keep the relationship a secret, you know what Xander is like."

Kali nodded. She did know what Xander was like. He was a big-headed flirt that loved himself above anyone. But seeing him with Lorna, laughing and flirting, and just genuinely happy, made her smile.

"Maybe we should, oh, I don't know, give them some privacy?" Kali asked, turning away from the couple. She grabbed both Vida and Nick and herded them away from the front door. "Oh, here." She snatched the flyer that Nick was still holding and handed it out to Vida.

Vida read it. "Totally Talented are holding auditions?" she gasped, looking up with wide eyes. "And you waited this long to tell me?!"

Kali laughed. "We were a bit preoccupied," she said. "But I am telling you now. Are you going to enter?"

"Nah., I think I'll let my once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip away while I watch others fall flat on their faces trying to impress Stu," said Vida, sarcastically.

Kali scoffed, rolled her eyes, and shook her head. "And I thought I could be rude when sarcastic," she said, punching Vida's shoulder.

"Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer," said Vida. She scanned the flyer again. "Sign up at Blue Bay Harbour station or send a video of you and your talent to the email provided." She considered her options. If she sent an email it could take days for them to read it, especially since this was an open cast application, tons of people were bound to apply. But getting time off work to go and apply in person was probably going to be more difficult.

Kali shared a look with Nick.

"Why don't you record a video and Kali can drop it into the station for you?" Nick suggested. "I mean, she has to go back to Blue Bay tonight, anyway, right?"

Kali nodded. "I'm only here for the day," she said. "I got an early training session tomorrow. Despite Lothor attacking the city, and most of his students being in space, Sensei is still setting us end of term exams to show what we've learned."

Nick snorted. "You and exams? Not a good combination," he teased.

"Shut up," said Kali, shoving his shoulder.

Vida bit her lip. "Would you do that for me?" she asked Kali.

"Remember what you said about asking a stupid question?" Kali asked.

Vida cracked a smile and threw her arms around her friend. "Oh, I could kiss you!" she said.

"Please don't," said Nick and Kali, simultaneously.

Vida smirked. "What? I thought you weren't heterosexual?" she asked.

"I'm not," said Kali. "But kissing your sister, even an unrelated one, is technically taboo."

Vida scoffed and shook her head. "Fine. I won't kiss you but thank you!" she said.

"Yeah, yeah," said Kali. "Do you want some help recording?"

"Yeah. Do you have a camera?"

Kali paused and glanced at Nick. "What about Rachel's?" she asked. "She's a professional photographer, after all. Instead of me filming Vida, will she do it?"

Nick shrugged. "She hasn't really done multimedia clips since film school," he answered. "I could call her and ask."

"Do it. In the meantime, we'll get set up," said Kali to Vida.

Vida grinned and jumped up on the stage. Kali followed her, picking up the second set of headphones and putting them on over her ears. The beat started to pound through them, and she started to groove to it.

**~X~**

"It was great to meet you, Lorna," said Kali. While Rachel recorded Vida's DJing skills, Xander had brought Lorna over and introduced her to Kali, explaining that Kali was on an assignment in Blue Bay Habour which was why she hadn't been around to meet yet. "Maybe once I'm back in Briarwood on a more permanent basis, we'll get to know each other better."

"That's be really cool," said Lorna. She leaned into Xander as he wrapped his arm around her.

"That was amazing, Vida," Rachel praised, turning off her camera. She pressed a few buttons on her cam-corder and then removed the small video from inside, handing it to Kali. "Don't lose this!"

Kali gaped at the older woman. "Hey, I wasn't the one who lost the one," she defended, glaring at Nick. "I just took the blame because this one was terrified of you."

"I was not!" Nick protested. He met his sister's gaze and shrunk back. "You do have a temper when you're angry," he said. "But, you didn't have to take the blame. I would've fessed up… eventually."

"Yeah, several months after you'd had time to come up with a reasonable excuse," said Rachel. "Or even, the good old - 'I could've sworn I handed it in' - once the deadline had passed."

Vida, Lorna, and Kali snorted.

Nick glared at Kali. "I don't know what you're laughing at," he said, poking her side and causing her to scream and squirm away from him. "At least I didn't record over my younger sister's fourth birthday party."

"Okay, 1. You don't have a younger sister," said Kali, "and 2. I didn't record over anything."

"You left the camera on the table for Molly to get a hold of," said Nick. "She was four! What did you expect her to do?"

Kali shrugged, sheepishly.

Vida and Lorna laughed harder.

"So, you were always a trouble maker then?" Vida asked.

"Not intentionally, no," said Kali.

"Liar," said Nick.

Kali turned to him. "If I was the trouble maker then so were you," she said. "You didn't exactly stop me from doing stupid shit while we were growing up."

"Yeah, because you always hit me for being a tattle tale," said Nick.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "You were both as bad as each other, to be honest," she said. She turned to Vida and Lorna. "I remember when they were about, oh, I think it was ten-years-old." She glanced back at Kali and Nick, both of whom had closed their eyes and groaned.

"What happened?" Vida asked, eager to learn more about the situation that brought such discomfort to her friends.

"They were grounded," said Rachel. "They had gone and got caught pulling a stupid prank while in school, and the principal sent them home. Our parents refused to let them see each other, so they were locked in the spare bedrooms of on opposite sides of the houses."

Vida furrowed her brow.

"We lived next door to each other," Rachel explained. "They are, literally, the boy and girl next door in this relationship."

Vida snickered.

Kali covered her face as Nick glared at his sister.

Rachel smiled. "Anyway, they were grounded and separated from one another - they had to be, since they had both chosen bedrooms that were parallel with one another and their windows faced the other. One night, after we'd all gone to bed, I was awoken around midnight by my dad shouting. Nick had only gone and climbed out of the spare bedroom window, scaled the tree down onto the back lawn and run around the side of the house."

"How did your dad know he was out there?" Vida asked.

"My parents figured either Nick or Kali would try something, so they set up home base in Nick's bedroom and caught him red-handed trying to scale the trellis on the side of Kali's house. He was three-quarters of the way up when my dad opened the window and shouted at him to get his ass back inside."

Nick shivered at the memory.

"I'm surprised he didn't wake up the entire street," said Kali. "Uncle Roger has a set of lungs on him."

Rachel grinned.

Vida looked between Nick and Kali. "If you were both trouble makers, what happened that led you to gaining a juvie record, Kali, and Nick your record being spotless?" she asked.

"Who said his record was spotless?" Rachel asked.

Vida stared, wide-eyed at the older woman. "No way?!" she gasped.

"I mean, Nick doesn't exactly have a juvie record," said Rachel, shaking her head. "But he's no angel."

_**Bleep.** _

"Oh, thank god," Kali muttered, turning away. "What's up, Cam?"

" _I'm picking up an energy signature in the Mystic Realm_ ," Cam replied. _"Are you still in Briarwood?"_

"Yeah. You want me to check it out and report back?"

_"Please. Let me know if you need assistance."_

"Got it." Kali hung up and turned back to her friends. "There's a disturbance in the woods. Who wants to go with me to check it out?"

Vida and Nick nodded.

"I'll catch up," said Xander. "Toby's not in until later."

Rachel looked between them. She was aware of their stint as Mystic Rangers, and she had learned a while ago that Kali was on another mission in Blue Bay Harbour, she hadn't been fully informed about what the mission was, but she had guessed it was Ranger related after she had seen the news.

"While your off checking the disturbance," said Rachel. "I'm going to head home. I have a client dropping by in a few hours. Kali, you coming to dinner tonight? We're ordering your favourite."

"I'll let you know," said Kali.

Rachel nodded.

Kali turned to Xander.

"I'll catch up," said Xander. "Toby's not in until later. But call if you need help."

"Okay," said Kali.

Rachel, Xander, and Lorna watched the trio leave the store. Rachel then bid the couple her goodbyes and then left herself.

**~X~**

"Cam's coordinates say that they're right around this bend," said Kali, reading the numbers that Cam had text her.

The trio, plus Matoombo, turned the corner and stopped short as they found Itassis and Daggeron standing in the middle of the wood, talking.

"Oh, sorry," said Kali, stopping short.

"Is everything alright?" Daggeron asked, eyeing the trio. "What are you doing out here? I thought you had the day off?"

Kali stared, suspiciously at the Knight. "Why are you so jumpy?" she asked. "Better question - why are you trying to get rid of us?"

"I'm not," said Daggeron.

"What do you think?" Kali asked, cocking her head towards Vida.

"He did reply a little to quickly," said Vida.

Nick nodded. "Yeah, and he's swallowed at least three times since," he added.

"He's fidgeting," Vida said.

Daggeron huffed and stopped shuffling his feet. "You're all being paranoid," he said, shaking his head. "Answer my question - what are you doing out here?"

"I'm the Hellhound," said Kali, simply. "I'm the guardian of the Mystic Realm, aren't I? Can't the guardian walk through her world without being questioned on her motives?"

Daggeron narrowed his eyes. "Last chance, Kali," he warned.

Kali huffed and rolled her eyes. "Cam picked up a disturbance on his monitors," she answered. "I'm looking for the -" she broke off three large balls of fluff and fur rolled across their path, separating the two groups.

Kali, Vida, Nick, and Matoombo jumped backwards.

"Whoa, what are those?" Vida asked.

"They must be what Cam picked up," said Nick.

Kali nodded, her gaze flickering from each hound to the next. They were tall, around six-foot, and had a long snout. The top teeth of the creature's muzzle descended down from its gum, and rested against the outside of its mouth. "They're not any dog," she said.

"They're wolfblades," said Matoombo.

Kali half-glanced at the puffball. If Matoombo knew what these creatures were, then so did Itassis, and that meant they were from the Mystic Realm of old.

The wolfblades snarled and growled. They pawed at the ground and then launched themselves forward.

The trio of Rangers broke apart - Nick and Kali to the right, while Vida headed to the left with Matoombo.

"Ready?" Nick asked, reaching for his belt.

Kali, Vida and Daggeron nodded.

"Magical Source, Mystic Force!"

"Magical Storm, Ranger Form!"

As Nick and Vida rushed the Wolfblades, Kali raised ducked as the third wolf lunged at her. She rolled under his arm and stumbled backwards, raising her arm to contact Cam and the other when the Wolf turned and lunged again.

The wolf howled as Daggeron stepped between it and Kali, blasting it with his lamp.

"Cam! I found the disturbance!" said Kali.

_"The Thunders are on their way!"_

Dropping her arm, Kali rolled her Ninja Sword between her hands and rushed at the wolfblade that Daggeron was fighting. She flipped over her teacher, and raised the sword above her head. "Ninja Sword, Mystic Mode!" she called, landing between Daggeron and the Wolfblade, and slashing it across the chest and stomach.

The wolfblade howled and fell back into a tree.

"Vida!"

Kali turned at the sound of Matoombo's yell and spotted a second wolfblade leering over her friend. Vida struggled for release, but the wolf had her pinned and it's snout was inches away from her helmet.

Starting forward, Kali wound up her sword by rolling it over in her hands, but before she could attack Hunter and Blake arrived, kicking the wolfblade in the side and sending it rolling away from Vida.

"You okay?" Blake asked, offering his hand.

Vida pulled herself up with his help. "Thanks!" she said, looking toward Kali.

Kali nodded, relieved that Vida was okay, and then turned to look for Nick.

"Power of the Phoenix!" Nick called, flipping into view. He had been driven out of the clearing by the black-furred wolfblade and was returning by using his power of fire to attack the wolf and propelling himself backward through the trees.

He landed in the center of the clearing as the third Wolfblade howled in agony.

Ready?" Hunter asked Blake.

Blake nodded

They both raised their arms, ready to morph, but broke off as Kali called for them to stop. The wolfblades had regrouped, were scanning the number of people now in the clearing, before scampering off through the trees. Their howls disappearing.

"I'll make sure they clear the forest without hurting anyone," said Matoombo.

"I shall assist you," said Itassis.

The pair disappeared and the others regrouped.

"Power Down," said Kali, relinquishing her morph.

The Mystic's followed suit.

"Thanks for the help, guys," said Nick, fist-bumping Hunter and Blake.

The pair nodded.

"Didn't look like you needed much help, to be fair," said Blake.

Kali shrugged. "Five Rangers are stronger than three," she said. "I just asked Cam to send whoever was closest. How come you two were the closest?" she added, eyeing the pair suspiciously.

Hunter folded his arms. "You'll find out soon," he said.

"Because that's not an ominous response," said Kali.

"Don't worry, Kali, we weren't doing anything to the Mystic Realm," said Blake, quickly. "We're closest because we were practicing for Totally Talented."

Vida glanced the brothers over. "What are you doing for Totally Talented?" she asked.

"Sorry. Can't say," said Hunter.

Vida shrugged. "Fine by me." She turned back to Kali. "We should get back to Root core, see if there is any information on Wolfblades in the either the History or Reference books."

Kali tore her gaze from the Bradley brothers and nodded. "Yeah. I'll call Cam again, have him meet us there," she said.

"I'll do the same with Xander," said Nick.

**~X~**

Cam, Tori, Shane, Dustin, and Sensei were already at Root Core when the others returned. Once everyone was gathered around the circular table, Kali explained what had happened in the woods, did her best to describe the Wolfblades, but was forthcoming enough to elaborate that Matoombo did call the creatures by name.

"Wolfblades?" Leanbow asked, quickly. "There is only one creature that I can think of that would use such beasts."

Kali shared a look with her friends. "And that would be?" she asked.

"Shimazu," said Leanbow.

Sensei gasped and shook his little furry head. "Shimazu was locked away years ago," he said.

"Yes. I remember," said Leanbow. "My great-great grandfather was the one who sealed him away. The story was passed down throughout the generations, and I would've told it to my own son had we had the chance to be a family."

Kali lay her head on Nick's shoulder.

Collecting a book from the reference shelf, Leanbow flipped through it and then set it on the table for the others to see. A human-sized monster stared back at them from the page, as a large image of just his face was depicted beside the body.

"Wait, I've seen him before," said Cam, drawing the book closer and inspecting the image. "Yeah. I saw him - it - this morning at the Museum for Asian History, but it was just a statue."

"What happened to him after he was locked away?" Kali asked Leanbow. "Was he destroyed? Or is there a chance he has been released from his prison?"

Leanbow shook his head. "He was trapped away where no one could gain access to him," he answered. "In the deepest, most darkest place within the Underworld. He can't be released."

"You forget that the Underworld has crashed through to this world before," said Kali. "Could his prison have been disturbed when the Master was awoken?"

"No. Not even the Master knew where Shimazu was hidden," said Leanbow. "The only person who knew were my great-great grandfather and his team of Mystics, and they're all dead."

Kali glanced down. "Sorry," she apologised.

"It's quite alright," said Leanbow. "I understand where you're coming from."

"So if the spirit of Shimazu is still trapped and hidden," said Tori. "Who released the Wolfblades?"

"What do you know about the statue?" Cam asked Leanbow.

Leanbow scratched his chin. "The statue was created in Asia many years ago," he explained. "It was depicted and designed to look exactly like the sharma monster. The mask on the statue was said to include part of his soul that he had smuggled out of harms way before he was trapped."

"And you didn't think to follow up on that?" Kali asked.

"It was just a story," said Leanbow. "The Hellhound of that time was 100% sure that no evil magic could be sensed after Shimazu was locked away. We all believed her."

Kali licked her lips and looked around at her friends, she paused, sighed heavily, and then turned to her mother. "The Hellhound gets stronger with each generation, right?" she asked.

Eithne nodded.

"And this is the first time that the Hellhound guardian was born to both good and evil?"

Again, Eithne nodded.

"So, isn't there a chance that my great-great-grandparent didn't have mastery over her sensing evil magic abilities, at least not in the way I do?" Kali asked.

Eithne looked thoughtful and then turned to Leanbow. "There is every possibility that could be the case," she confirmed. "It takes years to master the Hellhound abilities, and even I struggled with many of them, but given your connection to both good and evil, it could be why you've advanced farther than any of us before."

Kali turned back to the others. "Cam, what happened at the museum?" she asked.

"Marah and Kapri," said Cam. "Oh, and Motodrome."

"Motodrome?" the Ninja Rangers exclaimed.

"He's not Perry," said Cam, quickly. "I think Lothor collected the Motodrome parts and recreated him without Perry's influence. Anyway, we fought and in an attempt to blast me, he hit the Shimazu statue and brought it to life."

"Motodrome's power must've connected with the piece of Shiamzu's soul that lived in the mask," said Eithne, "and that's what brought him back to life."

"That's great and everything, but what's Shimazu got to do with those rabid rejects?" Blake asked.

"Shimazu was known for terrorizing the villages of the Mystic Realm with creatures he called Wolfblades," Eithne answered. "They were his personal guard, and protected him from the Mystic Warriors of old."

"What you're saying is we have a 2,000 year old kabuki dude with an attitude, and this three pet wolves running lose in the city?" Shane asked. "Great."

"Not exactly," said Kali, shaking her head. "Yes, there's some creature out there with three pet wolves running amok. But for now they're contained within the Mystic Realm, a place were we can track them, but the minute they step over that boundary line? We're in trouble."

Eithne nodded. "Kali is right," she said. "The Mystic Realm stretchers for miles. The Wolfblades could cross it anywhere. They could come out in Briarwood, Blue Bay Harbour, or anywhere in between."

"Which is why we must find and contain them as soon as possible," said Leanbow. "They can cause a lot of trouble if allowed to run rampant. We also need to find Shimazu, he must be sealed away with the rest of his spirit." He looked to Kali, as the resident Hellhound it was her duty to make sure Shimazu was contained.

"Don't forget Lothor," said Dustin.

"Trying to look on the bright side," said Tori.

Dustin sighed.

"Wait, he brings up a good point," said Sensei. "If Shimazu has been brought to life by Motodrome, there is a good chance he has already aligned himself with Lothor."

"See?" said Dustin, pointing at Sensei with a smile. "Not so dumb after all."

The others chuckled.

**~X~**

_**Bleep** _

Kali looked over at Cam as he lifted his amulet out of his uniform and connected the call. She rose from her seat and wandered over, the others following, as Cyber Cam's voice filtered out and filled Root Core.

"We have a situation happening in Blue Bay Harbour," said Cyber Cam.

"Wolfblades?" Tori asked.

"No. Motodrome running lose in the warehouse district. What do you want me to do?"

"Stay at Ninja Ops," Cam ordered. "We'll follow through here."

"Got it."

The call ended and the Ninja's shared a look.

"We can't just sit here waiting for Shimazu or his Wolfblades to cause a problem," said Shane. "We should be out there looking for them."

Kali nodded. "They have to still be in the forest," she said. "Itassis or Matoombo would've reported back if they had left."

The Mystics nodded their agreement.

"If we split up," said Vida. "Each of us take a different sector, we could find them faster."

Kali glanced from Vida to the Ninjas. "What about Motodrome?" she asked. "We can't leave him to cause havoc in Blue Bay Harbour while we search here."

"We won't," said Hunter. "Motodrome's mine. We have unfinished business."

Kali hesitated. The last time Hunter and been alone with Motodrome he had almost been drained of his energy.

"Okay," said Shane, clapping Hunter on the shoulder. "The rest of us will split up, hit the forest."

"You can't just go running through the Mystic Realm," said Kali. "There's people out there that still don't trust us," she motioned to her former team, "and we all remember what happened last time humans were left to run through the realms unsupervised, and Ulric was quick enough to throw us out when the Master possessed Nick, remember?" she looked to her family.

They nodded.

"So what do we do?" Shane asked.

"We have to divide the teams equally," said Kali. "Make sure the Mystic-Ninja ratio at least, adds up. The more groups out there searching, the better, but each group needs to have at least one mystic with them."

Xander quirked a curious eyebrow. "When did you get so strategic?" he asked, teasingly.

"When I realised that this wasn't going to end after one team," said Kali. "I could retire from being a Ranger tomorrow, but it wouldn't stop my Hellhound duties. It doesn't matter which city I am in, and it definitely doesn't matter whether I wear spandex or not. There's always going to be another threat."

Xander nodded at her words.

"Alright then," said Shane. "Hunter, go. Kali, what are you thinking?"

Hunter left and the others turned to Kali.

"I'm thinking two teams of three," said Kali, looking around at them all. "Nick and I can take Shane and Blake through the city, we can cover more ground if we use our the Mystic Racer and Tsunami Cycles."

The boys nodded.

"V, you and Xander take Dustin and Tori through the Mystic woods," Kali added. "Call if you find anything. Daggeron, can you cover the south valley, and Mom, are you okay to check the Woodland villages?"

Daggeron and Eithne nodded.

"What about the other dimensions?" Claire asked. "Should they be warned?"

"I don't think Shimazu has that kind of power," said Kali. "But in case he does, stay here with Leanbow and Udonna. Wolves are directed by the Moon, we could probably use that if we need to."

Claire nodded. "Be careful," she warned.

Kali smiled and squeezed Claire's shoulder. He bond with the young sorceress was still strong, even though they hadn't seen each other in a long time. "I'll see you, Claire. Good luck." She turned to the others. "Everyone know what they doing? Cam?"

"I can give you air coverage," said Cam. "From the Samurai Star Chopper, I can keep tabs on all of you with the scanners, plus, I can keep a look out for any energy signatures that match Shimazu and the Wolfblades."

"Perfect. Then let's go," said Kali.

**~X~**

"Kali, Tori, Dustin and the others need you at the boundary line," said Cam. "The Wolfblades are trying to cross into Ridgecrest."

"We're on our way, Cam," said Kali. She swerved to a stop and whistled for the others, nodding over her shoulder. She revved her engine and sped off down the street she had just come, bypassing a number of civilians and circling the corner before driving straight into the woods at the end of the road.

All around her, Kali could hear the roar of an engine. She glanced to her right, catching sight of Nick as he kept pace with her on his Mystic Racer, and to the right of her, swerving between trees on their Tsunami cycles were Blake and Shane.

Turning back to the road, Kali tapped the side of her helmet. Cam may not have been able to link her Mystic abilities up with a Hellhound Zord, but he had managed to link them with her ninja morpher. That, and she was connected the scanners on his Samurai Chopper.

Leaning to the left, Kali hilted down a hidden path and led the trio of boys following her into the thick of the Mystic Realm. The air was darker here, and she heard Shane question where they were heading.

"It's a short cut," said Nick. "The boundary line to Ridgecrest is just on the other side of these trees. But Kali, remember, so is the Cimmerian forest. One wrong move and we could hit that, we'll never get out without help."

"I know what I'm doing," said Kali.

Nick glanced over at Shane and Blake, but chose not to argue with his girlfriend.

Breaking out of the dim forest, Kali spotted the black wolfblade leapt into the air. She turned the nose of her bike towards it and opened fire, blasting him away from Tori and Dustin, whom had become trapped against a large oak tree.

"What up, Dog?" Blake called, zooming into the thicket. He jumped up onto the seat of his bike and pushed off. "Time for you to get house broken," he added, pulling his Thunder staff over his shoulder and slashing at the Wolfblade that Vida had been fighting.

Shane followed suit, jumping from his bike and attacking the brown Wolfblade that had made it back to its feet. His sword clashed against the steel claws of the Wolfblade and he ducked under a slash from the great hound.

"Hey!" Kali called, jumping from her bike as the white Wolfblade attempted to sneak up on Dustin. "Ninja Sword, Mystic Mode!" she wielded the sword above her head and slashed down as she landed.

"Kali, watch your back!" Nick yelled. He raced towards her, pulling back on his bike and propelling it over her own which had crashed against an oak tree. He fired his lasers at the Wolfblade, knocking it back.

Swerving around, Nick stopped beside Kali and swung his leg off the bike.

"Nice save," said Kali, fist-bumping him.

"Huh? Hey, look!" Xander called.

Kali and Nick looked around as, in a flash of sparkles, Shimazu appeared. He was leaning against the trunk of another large oak tree, and cackling as he surveyed the chaos his wolves were creating.

"Come, come, Power Rangers," Shimazu said, his gaze stealing glances over those present. "Don't you know wolves can smell fear? You've obviously sent them into a feeding frenzy!"

Clenching his fist, Dustin glared at Shimazu. "The only one who should be afraid is you," he said.

"And whoever designed that ridiculous outfit," Tori added.

"Why would I be afraid of children?" Shimazu asked.

"Please tell me he did not just call us children," said Nick, tightening his grip on his magi staff.

Pulling his sword over his shoulder, Shane regrouped with the others. "Let's work this loser!" he said.

The others nodded and followed Shane forward. Meters before they could reach Shimazu, their path was blocked by his Wolfblades.

"As protectors of the Mystic Realm, Shimazu is our responsibility," said Nick. "You four deal with the Wolfblades. Kali, Xander, Vida, and I'll take down the clown."

"Got it!" Shane nodded. "Come on, guys," he added to Dustin, Tori, and Blake.

Kali and Nick waited for the others to steer the Wolfblades away from Shimazu, and then raced towards him, swinging their swords up and then down as they got close enough.

Shimazu laughed as he blocked both blades and knocked the two recipients aside. "Mystic Protectors," he mocked. "Just like your ancestors, you're no match for me."

"Those ancestors locked you away," said Kali. "You're only at half strength, if I recall my history."

"For now," said Shimazu.

Kali growled and took a running leap at him. She raised her sword above her head and swung it down. "Darkness Wave!" she called, sending a wall of black magic hurtling through the wood.

Shimazu merely raised his hand and sliced the attack in half.

"What?" Kali gasped.

"Legendary Source, Mystic Force!" Nick called, powering up again. "Mystic Lion Staff! Code One - Firestorm!"

Throwing herself aside, Kali rolled out of the way of the wall of flame. It encircled Shimazu, but he merely laughed and walked through it.

"No!" Kali cried.

Morphin' into their own Legendary Modes, Vida and Xander rushed at Shimazu. They both swung their staffs at him, but he shimmered and disappeared, his voice carrying in the air as he circled the group.

Kali sucked in a breath, her eyes closing as she tried her hardest to focus on the training Sensei Watanabe had provided her. Feeling her heartbeat decrease, Kali rolled her head to the side and looked left, shooting off a fireball as Shimazu appeared again.

He howled as the fireball caught him in the chest, and knocked him backward. Looking up, Shimazu caught Kali's gaze and narrowed his eyes. "Impossible!" he hissed. "The last Hellhound hadn't mastered that ability yet."

"I'm not the last Hellhound," said Kali, shaking her head. "There's a lot of powers I have that you've never seen before. As for you not being at full strength, you're never going to be while I guard the Underworld. Got that?"

"We'll see, little girl."

Kali tightened her hand into a fist. "Don't patronize me," she warned.

"You have a lot to learn, warrior," said Shimazu. "You can start with respecting your elders. That goes for your little playmates, too."

"I don't know how things were done in your time," said Kali, as the others regrouped behind her. "But in this time, respect is earned."

_**Bleep.** _

Half-glancing at Shane, Kali nodded once and turned her attention back to Shimazu. She knew the others wouldn't be calling if things weren't urgent, especially not when Cam could see they were in the middle of something with Shimazu and the Wolfblades.

" _Shane, I've got Motodrome at the beach_ ," said Cam. " _Can you break away and stop him?"_

"What about Hunter?" Blake asked.

_"He's hurt, but he'll survive."_

Sensing the worry in her teammate, Kali turned to Blake. "Go find your brother," she said. "We'll meet you at Ninja Ops later."

Blake nodded and took off.

"Can you guys handle this?" Shane asked, looking around at those left.

Kali nodded.

"Yeah, we got the fleabags covered," said Xander.

Shane nodded. "Okay. I'm on my way, Cam," he said, disconnecting the communication and taking off.

"Go with him," said Kali to Nick. "Let's see Motodrome weasel his way out of two Battelizers at once."

Nick nodded and took off.

Shimazu laughed. "And then there were five," he said.

"Five's plenty!" said Vida, rolling her Lion Staff over in her hand.

Shimazu blew his whistle and the Wolfblades surged forward. Howling and snarling, they drove a wedge between the five Rangers, separating them from one another.

"You mutts need flea collars," said Tori, trying her hardest to old a Wolfblade off with her sword.

"And muzzles," Dustin agreed, ducking out from under the claws of another.

Regrouping, Vida and Xander held up their Lion staffs. "Code One!" they both called.

"Whirlwind!" Vida commanded, wielding the sword around and throwing it out towards the three Wolfblades. A strong blast of wind hit them, hurling them into the air.

"Rockslide!"

A mountain of rocks crashed onto the path in front of the Ninjas, blocking off the Wolfblades path to them.

Dustin laughed and glanced around at Vida and Xander. "I wanna learn to do that!" he said, looking back at the rocks. He had control over Earth, just like Xander, but he wasn't able to summon Earthquakes or rock slides like the Green Mystic.

While her friends dealt with the Wolfblades, Kali turned her attention back to Shimazu. He hadn't made a move in the time it had taken for his wolves to attack and be attacked, instead he stood silently opposite her on the other side of the wood, his gaze unwavering and glued to her.

"Stare all you want, Clown," said Kali, tapping the button on the side of sword. "Ninja Blade, Mystic Mode! Full power!" she drew her fingers across the dull side of the sword, and then circled it above her head.

Shimazu cocked his head to the side, intrigued by her show of bravado. "You don't show it," he said. "But I can tell, even from this distance."

"Tell what?" Kali snapped.

"Fear. You're afraid."

Kali scoffed. "Of you? Get over yourself," she said, unhooking her Magi Staff from her belt and transforming it into it's sword mode. She raised it, also, above her head and crossed the blades over one another. "I'll show you how afraid I am."

Taking a short run forward, Kali leapt into the air and twisted the sword over in her hands. When she landed, she stabbed them both into the ground, forcing enough energy into the crack to caught a minor earthquake.

"Hells Gate Inferno!" Kali yelled.

Shimazu's eyes widened as he took a step, just barely avoiding the rapidly spreading crack in the ground. Between the cracks were flickers of black and red flames, each one licking itself up the sides and scorching everything in sight.

Blowing on the tip of his whistle, Shimazu recalled his Wolfblades and glared at the Rangers. "You may have won the battle," he swore, pointing a finger at Kali. "But the war has just begun."

As Shimazu disappeared, Kali lost her morph and fell to one knee.

"Kali," Xander called, rushing over. "You okay?"

"What -?" Kali blinked. She looked up and met Xander's gaze. "What happened?"

Frowning, Dustin and Tori shared a confused look as Xander met Vida's gaze. The last time Kali couldn't remember what had happened during a battle was when the Hellhound had taken control.

"We better get her back to Root Core," Vida suggested.

Xander nodded and, scooping Kali up, led Dustin and Tori towards a towering Oak tree.

**~X~**

"You have all done well," said Sensei. "But I'm afraid Shimazu has proven himself a worthy opponent."

"That's putting it lightly," said Tori. "Kali's out cold, they don't know when she's going to wake up."

"But she will wake up," said Eithne. "The Hellhound took control of a split second. Kali may have mastered quite a few of it's abilities, but she still has a long way to go before she masters controlling the Hellhound entirely."

"Is it possible?" Vida asked.

Eithne shook her head. "There's no recorded cases of it ever happening, so we can safely assume that they answer is no," she said. "Kali's not the first guardian to be rendered unconscious when the Hellhound takes control, but she'll be okay. My daughter is tough, and stubborn."

Both the Ninjas and the Mystics smirked.

"She'll pull through," Eithne said, reaching across the table and tucking a strand of blonde hair behind Tori's ear.

Tori smiled and nodded. In the short amount of time she had known Kali they had become close, viewing one another as sisters instead of mere friends. They both wanted what was best for each other, and until Kali opened her eyes, Tori would continue to worry, despite Eithne's reassurance.

"Not to mention the fact that those wolves were dogging us big time," Dustin said, trying to work the kinks out of his neck. It cracked and he groaned.

"Unfortunately, they're not done," said Cam, he was set up on one of Root Core's computers, scanning for any signs of the Wolfblades from Briarwood to Blue Bay Harbour. He tapped a few keys, and showed the whole screen to the others. It wasn't as bit as his super computer back at Ninja Ops, but it was enough to show the team what they would be facing next.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Shane complained, as a massive three-headed Wolfblade towered over the city of Ridgecrest.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

**I'm really proud of this chapter. It may have taken me 6 hrs 30 mins to write, but it was well worth it.**

**Ridgecrest was mentioned back in Chapter One of Mystic Force, and I always knew I would bring it back at some point.**

**Let me know what you guys thought?**

**~Twix**


	24. Shimazu Returns, Part II

"That's one ugly mutt."

"Man, the leash laws in this city need some series work," said Hunter.

Xander nodded, slowly, before shaking himself and turning to the Crimson Ranger. "Hey, hold up," he said. "This city, Briarwood, has some great leash laws. That's Ridgecrest, they have different rules all together."

Vida rolled her eyes and punched Xander's shoulder to shut him up. "We should probably get out there," she said. "You know, before he goes medieval on a bunch of innocent bystanders?"

Cam nodded. "I can access the Zords from here," he said.

"Okay," said Shane, turning away. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Air, Earth, Water!"

"Thunder Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Thunder!"

"Magical Source, Mystic Force! Pink Mystic Ranger! Green Mystic Ranger! Red Mystic Ranger!"

With the two teams heading for Ridgecrest, Cam called on the Ninja Zords and then turned to Eithne as she returned from Kali's bedroom with Rune Tessler. "How is she?" he asked.

"She'll survive," said Eithne. "She just needs to rest."

"Is she awake?"

Eithne nodded. "She keeps asking for you," she admitted. "But I'm not sure if it's the lack of energy talking, or if she's just worried about the others. You can go see her if you like."

Cam smiled, stood, and headed up the wooden, spiral staircase to the bedrooms. He quickly found Kali's and stepped inside.

"Hey," Kali said, sitting up in bed. "How are the others? Where are the others?"

"They're okay," said Cam. "They're fighting the Wolfblades with their Megazord. The Mystics are helping."

Kali pulled back her quilt and swung her legs out of bed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, where are you going?" Cam asked.

"Where do you think?" Kali asked. "My Hellhound is bigger than all of them, and it can absorb attacks. I'm going to go help."

"You can barely stand," said Cam, catching her as she stumbled forwards. He turned her around and sat her back on the edge of the bed. "You need to rest. Besides, we talked about this, your Titan form absorbs magical attacks. What Lothor is fighting with is not Magic, you could get seriously hurt."

Kali huffed in annoyance. "Cam, listen to me," she said, meeting his gaze. "They don't have enough power to take down the wolfblades and Shimazu. They need me. In theory, they need us… and maybe even Chip and Maddie. Did Eithne call them yet?"

Cam shook his head. "She's probably doing it now," he said, as panic started to set into Kali's eyes. He grabbed her hands and held them together between them. "Hey! Talk to me, what's wrong?"

"I opened the gates to Hell on Shimazu, and he's still standing," said Kali, fear in her voice. "If that's not strong enough then what is?"

Cam swallowed as he stared at her. He could see where her fear was coming from, and he had to admit that she had a point, but he couldn't lose it in front of her. While he had seen Kali at her weakest before, he had never seen her so fragile and vulnerable, it was nerve-wracking.

"The others are back," said Claire, rushing into the room. "They're pretty beat up."

Kali stood and stumbled sideways into Cam. "Before you say it, I'm not staying in here," she said, catching the look on his face.

Cam sighed. "Fine," he said, winding his arm around her back and helping her out of the room.

**~X~**

As the others rested, Sensei sent Cam and Rune back to Ninja Ops to retrieve an artifact that Cam had collected from the museum earlier that morning. As they waited, the team discussed possible way to stop Shimazu and the Wolfblades.

"I'm pretty sure my Hellhound is strong enough to stop him," said Kali, "and if it's not, we can call Chip and Maddie back from Summer Cove and then we can form either the Titan Megazord or even the Legend one."

Vida, Xander, and Nick nodded in agreement. For the moment they were at a serious disadvantage when it came to Megazord fights, seeing as two of their team were in a different state.

"What if that's still not enough?" Hunter asked.

"If the Titan Megazord, the Thunderstorm Megazord, _and_ the Samurai Star Megazord aren't enough then we're screwed," said Kali. "Someone with only half a soul should not be this strong."

The others nodded in silent agreement.

As they contemplated the worst, the dragon's head opened, and Cam walked back in with Rune. He was carrying a slender backpack of his shoulder. "Okay, listen up, everybody," he said, drawing their attention to him as he stopped on the opposite side of the table. "The Zords should be back online by tomorrow at the latest, but we're going to need reinforcements."

"That's what we've been talking about," said Kali. "Mom should've called Maddie and Chip by now, and if we need more, we could always ask the Mystics that survived the Great Battle. Rune, don't you still have contact with them?"

"I wouldn't give much hope to them coming back, Kali," said Rune. "Some of them were happy to get out once the battle was over."

Kali sighed and lowered her gaze. She should've expected as much, and she didn't want to be the one to force someone back into action if they were happy to be out of it.

"There are other Rangers out there," said Hunter. "What about the former Samurai team?" he looked at Kali. "You're closer with Rhea and Rune than I am. Can't you call them?"

Kali shook her head. "Rune's too young to be involved with this," she said. "And Rhea needs to be there to look out for her daughter."

"What about Rhea's old team?"

"Same situation as the mystics," said Kali, leaning on the table. "Many of them didn't make it back from their final fight. We can't ask those that did to put their lives and families at risk."

Hunter sighed.

"Then what are we going to do?" Blake asked.

"We could open this," said Cam, taking the artifact box out of the backpack.

"I thought we could only open it in an emergency?" Tori asked.

"I'd say this was pretty big emergency," said Vida.

Kali nodded. "Go on then, genius, open it up," she said.

Cam smiled and set the box on the table.

"Anyone want to take bets?" Hunter asked.

"It's got to be some, like, really old sword…" said Shane.

"Or a cool fighting staff," said Dustin, rubbing his hands together.

Kali leaned across the table as Cam unlatched the lid and flipped it open. The excitement that had once filled the air diminished and the Ninjas side in frustration.

"Great, just what we need," said Tori. "Another ancient scroll."

Cam took the scroll from the box and opened it, allowing the parchment to roll out and him to see the ancient text that was printed on to it.

"So, hey, Cam, I just wanted to ask —" Shane started.

"Shh," Cam interrupted, his gaze never leaving the scroll.

Shane pressed the tip of his tongue to his inner cheek and looked around at the others. "Okay then," he muttered. "Maybe we'll just leave you alone."

"So, what do we do while we wait for the dog pound?" Blake asked.

Kali rolled her eyes. "Really. A dog joke?" she asked.

"You must be strong," said Sensei, "and stay alert."

The teams nodded.

Reaching around Tori, Hunter nudged his brother and indicating over his shoulder towards the exit. "Let's go, dude," he said, walking backwards away from the table.

"Not very subtle, are they?" Xander asked.

"Nope," said Kali.

Hunter made a face at her. "We just got something to take care of," he said.

"They're kidding, right?" Shane chuckled.

"Call if you need us," said Blake, following Hunter out of Root Core.

Kali rolled her eyes. "As if we don't know they're leaving to go practice their oh, so secret talent," she said.

"Speaking of which," said Vida, turning to Kali. "Do you still have that video?"

"It's in the front pocket of my backpack," said Kali. "I'll make sure it gets to the station on time."

Vida nodded. "I know," she said. "But we don't have anything to do now, maybe we could deliver it together?"

"Don't you have an afternoon shift?"

Vida shrugged. "Xander and Nick can cover for me," she said, looking pointedly at the two boys.

"Why me?" Nick asked. "I took today off so I could spend it with Kali."

Kali smiled and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Come on, please," Vida pleaded. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. You'll have plenty of other times to spend the day with her."

"Actually, Kali's under orders to not leave Root Core," said Claire from beside the Xenotome. "She's not done resting yet."

Kali grit her teeth. "Great," she whined. "I just got off bedrest, now I'm back on it."

"Maybe if you're more careful when you're in battle then you won't be expected to rest every other week," said Claire.

Kali stared, stunned at the blonde. "When did you grow a backbone?" she asked.

"I learned to take no crap from anyone from you," said Claire, "and that includes taking it from you, too."

Kali scoffed, her jaw falling open as she stared at Clare.

"The boss has spoken," said Xander, chuckling. "Come on, V, I'll get Phineas and Leelee to cover your shift, and accompany you to Blue Bay Harbour to hand in your tape."

Kali gaped at him. "You're all leaving me?" she asked, looking around at Dustin, Shane, and Tori. They avoided her gaze. "You all suck," she grumbled, heading upstairs alone.

"I'll bring the Healing Potion up in a sec," Claire called.

"Thank you," Kali called back.

Nick rolled his eyes as the others laughed.

**~X~**

An hour later, after her first dose of Healing Potion, Kali wandered back down into Root Core and found Cam still pouring over the scroll from the museum. The base was silent seeing as everyone had left earlier that afternoon, and Sensei was resting in the habitat that Udonna had conjured up for him.

"Anything?" Kali asked, sitting across from Cam.

"I know how to defeat the Wolfblades," said Cam. "But you're not going to like it."

Kali furrowed her brow. "Me, specifically, or me and the whole team?" she asked.

"Both," said Cam.

"What did you find?"

Cam looked up from the scroll. "It's best I explain it to all of you at the same time," he answered. "And, if you agree, we need to go back to Ops."

"Again, I ask, we specifically or -?"

"This time it will be you and I specifically," said Cam, nodding. "I need a mystic for this plan to work. I know what you're going to say, we're surrounded by mystics, all of whom can open a portal to another dimension."

"But you need a specific dimension?" Kali asked. "Like, say, the Underworld?"

"Try in-between the Underworld and this one," said Cam.

"In between?" Kali asked. "Never heard of such a place."

"Not many people go there, that's why," said Leanbow, returning through the door that led to Fireheart's home. "The in between is hard to navigate and takes a considerable amount of power to sustain. Why do you need to go there?"

Kali looked back at Cam. "Apparently it's the only way to stop Shimazu and the Wolfblades," she said.

"Then you're going to need more than just the Hellhound," said Leanbow. "Maybe it would be best if Eithne and I accompany you?"

Kali met Cam's gaze. If it were as dangerous as Leanbow said it would be, she wanted to be there in case things went south. She knew that Cam could take care of himself, but they had been through so much together, just the pair of them, that she wasn't about to turn her back on him now.

"It's okay, Leanbow, we got this," said Kali, reassuringly. "But I'll call if things get ugly and we need backup."

Leanbow bowed his head and left the room.

"We're not going alone, are we?" Cam asked.

Kali scoffed. "Are you kidding? We'll have an entourage," she teased.

Cam smiled and shook his head. "I'll call the others," he said, reaching into his shirt for his Samurai amulet.

"I'll call the mystics," said Kali, taking out her Mystic Morpher. "They should hear this, too."

**~X~**

"You want, what?" Tori asked.

"Your power discs," Cam repeated.

"I know I'm the slow one, but doesn't that mean we'll have no powers?" Dustin asked.

"Yes, but only until Kali and I return," said Cam.

Blake shook his head. "Yeah, I don't know if that's such a great idea," he said.

"Yeah, I kind of like knowing I can kick some space ninja butt… if I have to," said Hunter.

Kali placed her hand on Cam's shoulder. She could understand why the others were hesitant to hand over their morphin' powers, but it was a matter of fact that if they didn't, then they wouldn't have the power needed to defeat Shimazu and the Wolfblades.

"You won't be giving up all your powers," said Kali. "You'll still have your Ninja powers. You just won't be able to morph'."

"How is that any better?" Shane asked.

"You can still fight without a Ranger suit," said Kali. "You don't automatically know how to do that just because you have a disc that's connected to the Morphin' Grid."

"And we'll be there to help you," said Xander. "You may not be Mystic's, but even you can access magic if you believe enough in it."

Vida and Nick nodded.

"This is the only chance we have at stopping Shimazu and his Wolfblades," Kali continued. "If we don't get this sacred power then we may as well give up all together."

The Ninjas hesitated, each of them sharing a certified nervous look, before turning their attention to their morpher. Shane was the first to react. He hooked his fingers under the disc and pulled it free, glancing at Cam and Kali before handing it over.

"You better be right about this," said Shane, dropping the disc into Cam's hand.

"Trust us. It's the only way," said Kali.

Shane nodded. "We'll be ready," he said.

Tucking the discs safely into his uniform, Cam turned to Kali and nodded. "Ready?" he asked.

"Ready," Kali replied, stepping back and falling into line beside him. "Magical Storm, Ranger Form! Power of Darkness!"

"Samurai Storm, Ranger Form! Green Samurai Power!"

Once morphed, Kali took Cam's arm and the pair disappeared in a flicker of black magic.

**~X~**

"The portal's got to be around here somewhere," said Cam, as he and Kali jogged through the Mystic Forest. The air was so thick with magic that he wouldn't have been surprised if they were in the dead centre of the Mystic Realm. "Do you see or sense anything?" he asked.

"You're the one with the weird portal finder," said Kali, shaking her head. "I'm just here to open the damn thing."

Cam rolled his eyes and tapped the side of his helmet. He scanned the area but found nothing that looked remotely like what they were searching for.

_**Snap. Crack.** _

Kali tensed and caught Cam's arm as he started to walk away. "Wait a sec, we're not alone out here," she said, straining her ears to listen. In the bushes ahead, she could hear heavy breathing and whispered voices.

"Phineas, Leelee, if that's you, I swear to -" Kali cut off as two kids, around the age of five or six, burst out of the underbrush causing her to scream.

The kids stared, wide-eyed at the two Rangers, and then burst into laughter.

"Gabriel!" Kali scolded, recognizing the young boy. "What are you doing out here?"

Gabriel calmed down and shrugged. "I was following the Mystic patrols," he said. "I found Lena hiding. She said a weird monster attacked her with his three pet wolves."

Kali closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Why are you out this far, anyway?" she asked. "You know only the Mystic Patrol are to come here."

"I know. I'm sorry," Gabriel lowered his head. "My granddad was a Mystic Patrol back when your mother was a Ranger, I always looked up to him, and wanted to be like him."

Biting her lip, Kali turned to the little girl. "Lena, which way did you see the wolves and masked man?" she asked.

Lena pointed down the path behind her. "They're over there," she said, quietly. "I think they're waiting for someone."

"Yeah, us," said Kali, glancing back at Cam. She turned back to the two children. "Look, if you stick to this path and head that way," she pointed down the way she and Cam had just come, "you'll find a second patrol. Tell them I sent you, and they'll take you back to Root Core were Udonna or Eithne will contact your parents. Okay?"

Gabriel nodded and, clutching Lena's hand, dragged her away from the two Rangers.

Cam watched them go and then turned to Kali. "You're really good with children," he said. "You ever think about extending your line?"

"Nope. Shall we go see Shimazu? If he's waiting on us, then this could be where the portal is being hidden."

Cam nodded and followed her down the path.

"Gather around, Wolfblades," Shimazu said, his hearing picking up signs of approaching footsteps. He blew his whistled and the three hounds combined, growing taller than ever before.

Kali craned her neck to see them. A growl catching in her throat as she took in the three-heads. "Hellhound wannabes," she muttered.

"Jealous?" Cam chuckled.

"They wish," said Kali, raising her arm. "Guys, are you seeing this?" she asked.

" _We_ _'re on the way, Kali,_ " said Shane. _"Hang tight._ "

" _Dad, Eithne, and Daggeron are on their way to you_ ," said Nick. " _They_ _'ll be there to hold back Shimazu while you and Cam pass through the portal_."

Kali dropped her arm and turned to Cam, just as the three in question breached the tree-line.

"I don't see any Shimazu," said Daggeron, looking around.

"I don't see any portal," said Kali. She turned to Cam.

Again, Cam tapped the side of his helmet and scanned the area. He stopped, staring intently at an area just over Kali's left shoulder. "There it is," he said, walking forwards.

Kali furrowed her brow and looked around. She didn't see anything. "Hang on, let me try something," she said, grabbing Cam's arm and stopping him. "We're not walking through anything unless we can so it."

Cam shrugged. He trusted his technology, and he knew Kali did, too, but he was in her world. He needed to trust her magic.

Holding up her Mystic morpher, Kali pointed it ahead of her. " _ **Dereus Malorium!**_ " she said. There was a split-second pause, and then a raging whirl of energy appeared in the middle of the forest.

Cam glanced at Kali and then led her inside the wormhole.

**~X~**

Kali shivered as she stepped through the wormhole. Unlike the swirling vortex that had led to the Tribunal of Magic, this one opened up into a long stone cavern that neither Cam nor Kali could see the end of. Sticking close, since neither of them know what to expect, they stumbled along the tunnel and came to a large opening at the end - and opening that led to a large, stone room.

"We found it," said Cam. "Just like the scroll said."

"Found what, exactly?" Kali asked, looking around. She spotted a stone chest and walked over, looking down at the panel inside. "What's this?" she asked.

Cam followed her over and took the power discs out of his uniform. "This is why I needed the discs," he said. "They unlock the artifact that the scroll depicted. Let's see…" he flipped two switches, and the chest hummed to life, illuminating seven openings in multitude of colours.

"There's one for each of us," said Kali.

"Red," said Cam, slotting Shane's disc into place. The light above it flickered from red to green. "Yellow… Blue… Navy… Crimson… Green…" he turned to Kali and held out his hand.

"Oh," said Kali, handing over her disc.

"Black," said Cam, slotting the last disc into place beneath his own. They all reflected in their respective colours, as a loud grinding noise filled the room.

Kali pivoted around, just as the wall to her left split open to reveal an instrument on the wall. "Is that a guitar?" she asked.

"That is awesome," said Cam, taking the instrument from its pedestal. "Now we'll see who's got hidden talent."

"Dude, if you wanted a guitar, I could've got one from Toby," said Kali, shaking her head.

"Let's just hope all the stories about this thing are real," said Cam, holding the instrument against his chest. He removed the head at the top and replaced it with his Samurai Sabre. "Strike mode, engaged! Power disc, lock and load."

He struck the cords, and a bright light filled the cavern.

**~X~**

Returning to the Mystic Realm, Cam and Kali arrived just in time to see the Wolfblades rearing back for their final attack against the other Rangers. While the fight may have started in the forest, it had been moved to the city and, using Kali's teleportation abilities, the two Rangers appeared on a building top near the fight.

"Guys, check it out!" Cam called, using his power disc to strum the guitar.

"Whoa!"

"Who knew?" Dustin grinned. "He should totally try out for totally talented."

"Not now, Dustin," said Tori.

"I'm calling it the Lightning Riff Blaster," said Cam.

Blake laughed. "You couldn't have come up with a better name?" he asked.

"Actions speak louder than words, Blake," said Cam, strumming the guitar again. "I can use it to summon the mighty Mammoth Zord!"

"Or so he says," said Kali. "We haven't exactly tried it out yet."

"Check it out!" said Cam, nodding into the city,

Kali looked around, her eyes widening as she spotted a giant mammoth rolling towards the Wolfblades. "I stand corrected," she said.

"I'm sending you back your power discs," said Cam, turning to Kali.

She nodded and pointed her mystic morpher at the discs in her hands. "They should be appearing in your cockpits any second, guys," said Kali.

"Got 'em," said the others.

"Let's put this puppy down once and for all," said Shane. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form!"

"Thunder Storm, Ranger Form!"

Once morphed, Hunter and Shane used the Mini-Zord to form the Thunderstorm Megazord, as Cam unleashed the Serpent Sword, Ram Hammer, and Turtle Mace from the Mammoth Zord.

"Guys, if you combine with the Mammoth Zord the power should be enough to defeat the Wolfblades," Kali called.

"What if it's not?" Tori asked.

Kali glanced at Cam and nodded. "Trust me, it will," she said. She pointed her Mystic Morpher at the Mammoth Zord. A stream of black magic engulfed it, and then disappeared.

"Do it, Shane," said Cam.

"Alright. Initiating sequence!" said Shane.

As the Ninja Rangers combined with the Mammoth Zord, Nick, Vida, and Xander demorphed and joined Kali and Cam on the rooftop nearby to watch.

"What did you just do?" Xander asked Kali.

"I combined my Hellhound magic with the Mammoth Zord," Kali answered. "There is more than enough power there to put the Wolfblades down for good."

The Mystics nodded; each one looking impressed.

"Mammoth Zord, engage weapons," said Shane. "Sphere Attack!"

Half a dozen power spheres surged out of the Mammoth's mouth and rolled across the city, crashing into the Wolfblade and knocking them off their feet.

"Ninja Ranger Power!" the team of seven called, summoning all of their powers and fuelling into the Mammoth Zord.

With a howl, the Wolfblades exploded.

**~X~**

"Well done, you guys, I'm impressed and proud of you all," said Kali, leading the others into Root Core. They had just come from the Totally Talented competition, where each of them, save for Xander, Nick, and Kali, had competed to win a spot at becoming the next worldwide hit sensation. "You may not have won but you should still be proud of what you achieved today."

Hunter rolled his eyes, but instead of commenting turned to Vida. "You totally rocked the house as a DJ," he said. "If we had known before the show, we would've recruited you, right, Blake?"

"Hell yeah!" Blake said. "You smoked it."

Vida grinned.

Kali shook her head and turned towards Tori. She was about to comment on the Blue Ranger's dancing technique when a blinding light filled the room.

"What the -?" Tori breathed, her eyes wide as the light manifested itself into a shape. As the light dimmed a man in golden armour and a black cape stood before the team.

"Hello, Rangers," his voice boomed. "I am the Sentinel Knight. A mystical defender, and guardian of the Corona Aurora."

"The Corona Aurora?" Kali repeated. "You've got the wrong team. You're looking for the Overdrive Rangers in San Andreas, they're the ones protecting the Crown."

The Sentinel Knight nodded his head. "Ah, Hellhound, I've been looking for you," he said, meeting Kali's gaze. "Yes, you are quite right. The Overdrive Rangers are looking after the Crown; however, they have run into trouble and need your help. The fate of the world depends on it. What do you say? Will you come?"

"I…" Kali hesitated.

It was her duty as the Hellhound to be readily available to help the Mystic Realm whenever it needed her, but she was already on a mission to do just that, and the Knight hadn't specified exactly what he needed from her, only that he needed her help. If she said no, she would be putting the whole world a risk, and if she said yes what kind of fate would she be leaving her friends to face in her absence?

* * *

**To avoid any possible confusion going forward, I would highly recommend checking out** _**Once a Ranger: Power Outage** _ **for clarification.**

**~Twix**


End file.
